Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, during the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, following one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War. In this brief but powerful speech, Lincoln emphasized themes of equality, freedom, and national unity, framing the war as a struggle to ensure that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” The address has since become one of the most quoted speeches in American history and is celebrated for its profound impact on the nation's identity.