Episode 1 | 1h 26m 50s | Video has closed captioning.
THE ADDRESS, tells the story of a tiny school in Putney Vermont, the Greenwood School, where each year the students are encouraged to memorize, practice and recite the Gettysburg Address. In its exploration of the Greenwood School, the film also unlocks the history, context and importance of President Lincoln’s most powerful address.
Aired: 04/15/14
From:
Rawley: ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THIS ONE.
THIS IS THE ONE WE WANT TO SPEND OUR DAY ON.
CAN YOU SAY THIS ONE FOR US?
Boy: "CONCEIVED"?
- CONCEIVED.
YOU WROTE A SENTENCE FOR THAT THE OTHER DAY, RIGHT?
AND WHAT DOES "CON" MEAN, RACE?
Race: TOGETHER OR WITH.
- TOGETHER OR WITH.
OK, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO JOT DOWN THE WORD "TOGETHER" RIGHT THERE.
AND IS THERE A SUFFIX ON THAT WORD, JOSH?
Josh: "-CEIVED"?
-ED?
- OK, -ED, SO IT COULD BE PAST TENSE.
SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND "-CEIVE" OR THERE'S ALSO A VERSION OF IT CALLED "-CEPT".
- FOUND IT.
- OH, IT'S ON THE FIRST PAGE.
YES.
- "TAKE, RECEIVE, RECEIVED, RECEPTION, ACCEPT, CONCEPTION."
- OK, AND CONCEPTION HAS TO DO WITH BIRTH, MAYBE HAVING A BABY, BUT ALSO LIKE YOU COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF CONCEPT OR IDEA.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS IN THE "GETTYSBURG ADDRESS."
THE WORD "DETRACT" IS ALSO IN THE "GETTYSBURG."
- "-TRACT" MEANS TO PULL, TO PULL OR DOWN.
- OK, YEAH, "DE-" MEANS DOWN AWAY, AND "-TRACT" MEANS TO PULL.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE "-TRACT" IN HERE THIS YEAR, RIGHT?
BUT HOW DOES HE USE IT IN THE "GETTYSBURG ADDRESS"?
- HERE, THIS IS ONE.
- OK, "THE BRAVE MEN LIVING AND DEAD WHO STRUGGLED HERE HAVE CONSECRATED IT FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER TO ADD OR DETRACT".
IN OTHER WORDS, THE DEAD HAVE MADE THE LAND HOLY AND THERE'S NOTHING LINCOLN CAN DO TO ADD TO WHAT THEY'VE DONE OR TO TAKE AWAY FROM.
OK, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE--I'LL GET YOU STARTED RIGHT HERE.
"THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE..." HERE, LET'S MAKE IT SO WE CAN SEE-- - CAN I DO PARAGRAPH 3?
- SURE, BUT CAN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, THOUGH?
- OH, YEAH.
- OK, "THE WORLD..." I'LL PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU CAN READ IT FOR ME, OK?
- I GUESS.
- THEN IF YOU WANT TO DO PARAGRAPH 3, YOU CAN.
- I GUESS.
- ALL RIGHT, "THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE..." RACE, CAN YOU HELP US?
CAN YOU DOUBLE TASK THERE?
"THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE..." - "NOR LONG REMEMBER WHAT WE SAY HERE..." - "WHAT WE SAY HERE..." GO ON.
- "BUT IT CAN NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY DID HERE."
- OK, "WHAT THEY DID HERE..." GO ON.
Boys and woman: "IT IS FOR US THE LIVING RATHER "TO BE DEDICATED HERE TO THE UNFINISHED WORK "WHICH THEY WHO FOUGHT HERE HAVE THUS FAR SO NOBLY ADVANCED.
"IT IS RATHER FOR US TO BE HERE DEDICATED TO THE GREAT TASK "REMAINING BEFORE US, THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD, WE TAKE "INCREASED DEVOTION TO THAT CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY GAVE THE "LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION.
"THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE THAT THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE "DIED IN VAIN, THAT THIS NATION UNDER GOD..." Woman: HE NEEDS TO SAY SOMETHING, BECAUSE IF HE JUST HOLDS THAT INSIDE, HOW IS HE GOING TO FEEL IF HE DOESN'T SAY TO HIS... Ian: LIKE ME, WHICH IS GREAT.
- HOW IS HE GOING TO FEEL IF HE...
IF HE HOLDS THAT... - I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
- THAT SENSE OF I DIDN'T GET THE-- - HE'S GOING TO FEEL HORRIBLE.
- HE'S GOING TO FEEL HORRIBLE.
IT'S GOING TO GO MORE INWARD.
- WHICH IS HOW I FEEL.
- THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL?
- EVERY DAY OF MY FRIGGIN' LIFE.
- BECAUSE YOU DON'T LET--YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL?
- NO, BECAUSE EVERYONE'S RIPPED ME APART IN THE PAST YEARS.
- DOES THIS HELP YOU AT ALL IN TERMS OF THINKING ABOUT-- - NO.
- NO?
- NO, I CAN'T EVEN FIGHT FOR MYSELF ANYMORE, 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE IF I DO, I'M GONNA GET BEATEN OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW.
- YOU THINK IF YOU STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, YOU'RE GOING TO GET BEATEN?
- YEAH, BY OTHER KIDS, 'CAUSE THEY JUST GET REALLY PISSED ALL THE TIME.
- SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT-- - I DON'T SEE THAT SIDE.
- A LITTLE BIT OF ADULT HELP.
- YOU DON'T SEE THAT SIDE?
WELL, NOW THIS IS THE THING-- - I SEE EVERY SIDE OF EVERY ASPECT.
- SO LISTEN TO ME FOR ONE SECOND.
YOU GUYS ARE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE, RIGHT?
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE?
- YEAH.
- NO!
- HE SEES THE SIDES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BAD-- - WELL, BUT THAT MIGHT BE-- HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.
THAT MIGHT BE WHERE IAN IS RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO REALLY DO IS SORT OF STICK WITH THIS AND THE REASON I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR YOU TO BE IN A CLASS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PASSIVE, AGGRESSIVE, AND ASSERTIVE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HOLDING THINGS INSIDE AND YOU DON'T FEEL SAFE, THEN SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FIND A SAFE PERSON TO TALK TO.
THAT COULD BE A TRUSTED ADULT.
IT COULD BE A TRUSTED FRIEND.
- IT COULD BE NO ONE.
- YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL SAFE ABOUT SAYING THAT IN FRONT OF... YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL SAFE ABOUT BEING ASSERTIVE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, RIGHT?
BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO FIND SOMEONE THAT YOU CAN SHARE THOSE THINGS WITH.
- ...NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT THERE... - THESE GUYS ARE REALLY WORKING ON THEIR COMMUNICATION STYLE.
THEY'RE WORKING ON HOW THEY STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES.
AS YOU COULD SEE SORT OF IN THIS GROUP, THERE ARE SOME FUNNY DISCONNECTS.
REALLY, I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS SO THAT WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT, OR YOU KNOW, AS YOU SEE, IAN IS REALLY, REALLY--HE'S REALLY STRESSED OUT AND HAS HAD A LOT OF NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES.
AND SO THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO HELP HIM HAVE MORE TOOLS IN HIS TOOLBOX WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT.
I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU GUYS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT REALLY HELPS WITH THIS TOPIC IN PARTICULAR.
IT'S CALLED AN "I STATEMENT".
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT?
- OH, I FEEL, LIKE AN "I FEEL" STATEMENT.
- IT'S LIKE AN "I FEEL" STATEMENT.
- IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
- YOU KNOW WHAT, IAN, YOU JUST GOT TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND TRY IT AND TRY IT AGAIN, AND TRY IT AGAIN, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY IT REALLY IS WORTH IT.
- I'VE TRIED OVER 3,947 TIMES.
- REALLY?
- IT DOESN'T WORK.
- OK.
I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH THESE GUYS, AND I WANT TO PRACTICE IT WITH YOU BECAUSE IT'S A FORMULA.
IT'S A WAY FOR YOU TO SAY HOW YOU FEEL, AND AN "I STATEMENT" INCLUDES A FEELING, RIGHT?
AND IT INCLUDES THE WORD "I" BECAUSE WHO DO YOUR FEELINGS BELONG TO?
- ME.
- OK, WHO DO YOUR FEELINGS BELONG TO, CHASE?
Chase: ME.
- IAN?
- THE GOVERNMENT.
- THE GOVERNMENT, OK. - I'M GOING TO TAKE A RESET.
Ethan: WHAT IF, IN HIS SITUATION-- Ian: DO NOT MENTION ME WHILE I'M GONE, OTHERWISE I WILL BE REALLY UPSET.
- ALL RIGHT, WE'LL NOT MENTION HIM WHILE HE'S GONE.
John: BASICALLY WHAT A RESET IS, IS WHEN A STUDENT IS MISBEHAVING, A TEACHER WILL ASK THEM TO RESET, WHICH MEANS TO LEAVE THE CLASS, TO LEAVE THE LEARNING AREA FOR A FEW MINUTES, SOMETIMES LONGER, TO JUST GET A HOLD OF THEMSELVES AND GET INTO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MENTALLY FOCUS AND... BE A FUNCTIONING MEMBER OF THE CLASS.
FOR ME, RESETS DON'T HAPPEN THAT OFTEN.
I USUALLY GAUGE WHEN I'M LOSING CONTROL.
BUT SOME STUDENTS TAKE MORE RESETS THAN OTHERS, AND WHATEVER GETS THEM TO FOCUS, THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, AND EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT.
Ehrenburg: HERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS WHO HAVE A BACKLOG OF A LOT OF ANGER AND FREQUENTLY WILL ACT OUT ON THAT ANGER.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO IS DEVELOP THE CAPACITY IN THE KID TO RECOGNIZE WHEN HE'S GETTING UPSET AND THE RESET IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SO A KID CAN ASK FOR A RESET OR A TEACHER CAN SAY, "YOU NEED TO TAKE A RESET".
Woman: KEEGAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAVE THE CLASSROOM?
YOU MAY NOT DRAW ON THE DESKS.
Keegan: YOU SAID IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DRAW WITH PENCILS.
- [LAUGHING] - ON PAPER, KEEGAN, ON PAPER.
[CLASS LAUGHING] PLEASE GO OUT THERE, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER AND COME BACK.
OK.
SO, LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN.
[BELL DINGS] SILENT RESETTING, GETTING READY FOR CLASS TO START.
[MULTIPLE, SUSTAINED GUNFIRE] [BOY NARRATING] [HORSE WHINNIES] [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING] ["BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM" PLAYING] [DISTANT CANNON FIRES] - WHOA!
- WAKE UP.
[GROWLING] - WHOO!
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER] Hamm: YOU KNOW, FOR MANY KIDS, JUST FINISHING, JUST COMPLETING IT WOULD BE A GOAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN NED, BUT NED CAME HERE SURE THAT HE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, AND AS OF THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, HE'S SEEING THE END, HE'S SEEING THAT HE CAN ACTUALLY DO THE WHOLE GETTYSBURG, AND HE'S SO HAPPY.
HE CAME HERE VERY KIND OF DEFEATED IN A LOT OF WAYS, JUST BY HIS OLD SCHOOL AND BY LEARNING, AND THINGS WERE HARD FOR HIM.
SO, FOR HIM, WELL, GETTING THE COIN MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT HE WANTS, BUT I DON'T THINK HE CARES WHETHER HE WINS.
BUT JUST THE FACT THAT HE CAN ACTUALLY MEMORIZE IT AND MIGHT GET UP AND DO IT; WE DON'T KNOW YET, BUT HE'S VERY SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING IT.
Miller: AND FINALLY THIS MORNING, A GREAT WAY TO CLOSE OUT MORNING CIRCLE.
WHERE'S NED?
NED.
HEY.
Woman: COME ON UP.
Kids: COME ON, NED!
NED!
- WHOO!
- GO, NED!
Ned: "FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, "OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH ON THIS CONTINENT A NEW NATION "CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION "THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
"NOW WE ARE ENGAGED IN A GREAT CIVIL WAR, "TESTING WHETHER THAT NATION OR ANY NATION SO CONCEIVED AND SO DEDICATED CAN LONG ENDURE."
Hamm: THIS KID, IN SPITE OF ALL OF HIS EMOTIONAL STUFF, THAT BAGGAGE THAT HE CAME WITH, HE WAS ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT AND EVEN MAYBE THROWING HIS TANTRUMS AND THROWING THE HAT OR WHATEVER HE NEEDED TO DO, THAT'S WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO TO GET TO THE PLACE WHERE HE COULD FEEL CONFIDENT.
- "THAT THIS NATION, UNDER GOD "SHALL HAVE A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM "AND THAT GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH."
- ALL RIGHT!
- WHOO!
Miller: OUTSTANDING, NED.
GREAT JOB.
YOU ARE QUALIFIED.
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, TO SEE YOU GUYS STUDY THIS SPEECH, HAVE THE COURAGE TO GET UP AND RECITE IT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, HAVE THE COURAGE TO NOT GET IT RIGHT AND KEEP GOING AND KEEP TRYING.
IT'S AWESOME.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT.
CONTINUE YOUR HARD WORK.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO HAVE QUALIFIED ALREADY.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T QUALIFIED YET, KEEP WORKING.
OK, GUYS, HAVE A GREAT DAY TODAY, PLEASE STACK YOUR CHAIRS.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER] - REMEMBER, JOIN THE RACE.
YOU MIGHT JUST WIN.
Ehrenberg: YOU THINK YOU WANT TO DO THIS?
Ben: NO.
- I'M NOT ASKING IF YOU'RE SCARED TO DO IT.
I KNOW THAT.
I ASKED A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
- I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S A GROWTH POINT FOR YOU, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU, FOR YOUR GROWTH, TO DO IT, EVEN IF-- - NO.
- NO.
- 'CAUSE I'LL BACK OFF OF IT IF IT'S REALLY NOT A GOAL OF YOURS.
- IT'S REALLY NOT.
- YOU CAN DO THIS.
PERSONALLY, I DON'T CARE WHETHER YOU DO IT OR NOT.
WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS THAT YOU NOT NOT DO IT BECAUSE IT'S FEARFUL FOR YOU.
- I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
[BELL DINGS] Man: ALL RIGHT GUYS, LET'S TAKE A MINUTE, STAND UP BEHIND OUR CHAIRS.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL LUNCHTIME TREAT TODAY.
INSTEAD OF STARTING OUR MEAL WITH THE GRACE, WE ARE GOING TO START WITH ANOTHER GETTYSBURG QUALIFIER.
IAN IS GOING TO SHARE THE ADDRESS WITH US.
SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT, GET YOURSELVES SETTLED, LET'S BE RESPECTFUL TO IAN.
IAN, WHEN YOU'RE READY.
Ian: "FOURSCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH ON THIS CONTINENT A NEW NATION..." Ian, voice-over: WHEN YOU'RE ANGRY, IT'S NEVER GOOD.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE GRIT AND PERSEVERANCE, YOU CAN GET THROUGH STUFF A LOT MORE.
Ian: "...NOW WE ARE ENGAGED IN A GREAT CIVIL WAR, TESTING..." Ian, voice-over: THIS YEAR I'M RECITING THE GETTYSBURG, AND THAT'S HUGE FOR ME.
IT JUST TELLS PEOPLE I'M NOT STUPID, I'M NOT DUMB, I'M NOT, LIKE, WORTHLESS.
"FOR THOSE WHO HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT THAT NATION MIGHT LIVE..." Ian, voice-over: EVERY KID THAT HAS BEEN BULLIED EXCESSIVELY, THEIR LIFE IS A BATTLEFIELD, AND EVERY TIME YOU'RE SHOT DOWN, YOU JUST GET-- YOU TRY TO GET RIGHT BACK UP, BUT THEN THEY JUST KEEP SHOOTING YOU AND SHOOTING YOU.
WHEN YOU'RE DOWN FOR THE COUNT, EITHER A DEVIL CRIES AND YOU'RE DONE, OR THE ANGELS SING, THEY LIFT YOU UP, THEY HEAL YOU.
"...RATHER TO BE DEDICATED HERE TO THE UNFINISHED WORK WHICH THEY WHO FOUGHT HERE HAVE THUS FAR SO NOBLY ADVANCED."
I WANT TO GO UP THERE, I WANT TO NAIL IT, I WANT TO GET OFF, I WANT TO SHAKE STEWART'S HAND, AND I WANT TO GET THAT COIN.
IT'S THE TURN OF A NEW BEGINNING WHEN THAT COIN HITS MY HAND.
- GOOD JOB, IAN.
[HORSE WHINNIES] [TEEN BOY NARRATING] [BELL DINGS] Rebecca: COOPER.
- YEAH?
- TIME TO ROLL, MY DEAR.
Boy: TODAY IS GETTYSBURG DAY.
I AM EXCITED AND A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, BUT I'M MORE EXCITED THAN NERVOUS.
Man: YOU NEED TO TIE YOUR TIE?
WELL, I GOT TO WAKE EVERYONE UP FIRST.
YOU GOT YOURS TIED.
Ethan, voice-over: I'M NOT REALLY THAT NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, I'M SORT OF NERVOUS, BUT I CAN'T BE.
I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT THE EXPRESSION IS, BUT I'M NOT, LIKE...SCARED OUT OF MY WITS ABOUT IT.
AND THE SPEECH IS ONLY TWO MINUTES LONG AND I KNOW IT TOP FROM BOTTOM, INSIDE-OUT.
SHOULDN'T REALLY BE A PROBLEM FOR ME.
- THERE.
- THANK YOU.
Nate: OK, COOPER, OUT OF BED.
LET'S GO.
Stewart: SO TODAY IS THE DAY.
WE'VE BEEN BUILDING UP TO THIS FOR-- REALLY SINCE YOU GUYS CAME BACK FROM THANKSGIVING, RIGHT?
AND I'M SURE THERE WERE DAYS, MAYBE NOT EVEN THAT LONG AGO, WHERE YOU WERE FRUSTRATED WITH IT AND DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD DO IT, BUT YOU KEPT PUSHING FORWARD, AND THAT'S GREAT.
AND, GUYS, FOR YOU, WHILE WE'RE ALL HERE TOGETHER, TOO, WHEN YOU'RE UP THERE, IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, RIGHT, WHICH MIGHT HAPPEN, ANNIE'S RIGHT THERE.
SHE CAN GIVE YOU A CUE.
AND BECAUSE SHE'S REALLY CLOSE TO YOU, SHE CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU A CUE THAT NOBODY ELSE IS REALLY GOING TO HEAR, EXCEPT YOU, RIGHT?
Annie: IT WILL BE SUBTLE, IT WILL BE QUIET.
YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS DAY, OK?
YOU WILL REMEMBER HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW-- MAYBE A LITTLE NERVOUS, MAYBE REALLY CONFIDENT-- IN PREPARATION FOR TONIGHT.
SO, SIT UP FOR A SECOND.
LET'S SIT UP STRAIGHT.
LET'S SOAK IT IN, LET'S TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST RECOGNIZE HOW WE'RE FEELING.
GET CENTERED; GET READY TO LAUNCH INTO THIS REALLY SPECIAL DAY TODAY.
AND FEEL REALLY PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
- LOOKING SHARP.
[LAUGHTER] - TOP BUTTON'S IMPORTANT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
- READY?
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER] [APPLAUSE] [KEVIN SIGHS] "FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO..." - "FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO..." - "FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO..." - "OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH ON THIS CONTINENT A NEW NATION..." - "A NEW NATION CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT ALL MEN..." - "THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL."
[BOY NARRATING] "I'M SORRY; I DON'T WANT TO BE AN EMPEROR.
"THAT IS NOT MY BUSINESS.
"I DON'T WANT TO RULE OR CONQUER ANYONE.
"I SHOULD LIKE TO HELP EVERYONE, IF POSSIBLE: "JEW, GENTILE, BLACK, WHITE.
"WE ALL WANT TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.
"HUMAN BEINGS ARE LIKE THAT.
"WE WANT TO LIVE BY EACH OTHER'S HAPPINESS, NOT BY EACH OTHER'S MISERY."
- "FELLOW CITIZENS, PARDON ME, "ALLOW ME TO ASK, "WHY AM I CALLED UPON TO SPEAK HERE TODAY?
"WHAT HAVE I, OR THOSE THAT REPRESENTED YOU "WITH YOUR NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE?
"ARE THE GREAT PRINCIPLES OF POLITICAL FREEDOM "AND OF NATURAL JUSTICE EMBODIED IN THAT DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE EXTENDED TO US?"
- WE SHALL FIGHT IN FRANCE.
"WE SHALL FIGHT IN THE SEAS AND OCEANS.
"WE SHALL FIGHT WITH GROWING CONFIDENCE "AND GROWING STRENGTH IN THE AIR.
"WE SHALL DEFEND OUR ISLAND, WHATEVER THE COST MAY BE.
"WE SHALL FIGHT ON THE BEACHES, "WE SHALL FIGHT IN THE LANDING GROUNDS.
"WE SHALL FIGHT IN THE FIELDS AND IN THE STREETS.
WE SHALL FIGHT IN THE HILLS.
WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER."
[APPLAUSE] - "NOW WE ARE ENGAGED IN A GREAT CIVIL WAR, "TESTING WHETHER THAT NATION OR ANY NATION SO CONCEIVED AND SO DEDICATED, CAN LONG ENDURE."
- "WE ARE MET ON A GREAT BATTLEFIELD OF THAT WAR.
"WE HAVE COME TO DEDICATE A PORTION OF THAT FIELD "AS A FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR THOSE WHO HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT THAT NATION MIGHT LIVE."
- "IT IS ALTOGETHER FITTING AND PROPER THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS."
- "BUT, IN A LARGER SENSE, WE CANNOT DEDICATE-- WE CANNOT CONSECRATE-- WE CANNOT HALLOW THIS GROUND."
- "THE BRAVE MEN, LIVING AND DEAD, WHO STRUGGLED HERE" - "HAVE CONSECRATED IT, FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER TO ADD OR DETRACT."
- "THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE, NOR LONG REMEMBER WHAT WE SAY HERE, BUT IT CAN NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY DID HERE."
- "IT IS FOR US THE LIVING, RATHER, TO BE DEDICATED HERE "TO THE UNFINISHED WORK WHICH THEY WHO FOUGHT HERE HAVE THUS FAR SO NOBLY ADVANCED."
- "IT IS RATHER FOR US TO BE HERE DEDICATED TO THE GREAT TASK REMAINING BEFORE US" - "THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION "TO THAT CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY GAVE THE LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION" - "THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE THAT THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN," - "THAT THIS NATION, UNDER GOD, "SHALL HAVE A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM-- "AND THAT GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, SHALL NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH."
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] [OVERLAPPING CHATTER] Geo, voice-over: EVERY YEAR, WE DO THIS THING CALLED THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS, AND I'M LIKE-- AND EACH OF US--THE COIN, LIKE, "WOW, I WISH I COULD GET THAT, BUT I PROBABLY WON'T GET EVEN NEAR IT."
AT FIRST, I SAID I COULDN'T DO IT AT ALL, BUT, LIKE, ONCE I DID IT IN FRONT OF, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, 200, 300 PEOPLE, LIKE, I FELT SO MUCH MORE THAN I WAS.
I ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH DOING THAT.
IT FELT LIKE...
IT FELT LIKE I ACCOMPLISHED A MILLION THINGS AT ONCE WHEN I RECITED IT AND GOT FIRST PLACE.
Max: WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT GETTYSBURG, I THOUGHT, "THIS IS RIDICULOUS."
EVEN BEFORE THEN, I JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I COULD GET UP AND TALK TO PEOPLE IN A BIG GROUP.
I JUST...I JUST CAN'T DO IT.
LIKE, IF I WAS THE PRESIDENT AND I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE MY INAUGURAL, I WOULD JUST, LIKE, WALK AWAY.
I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT.
I COULD HAVE JUST WALKED OUT, BUT THEN I WOULD PROBABLY REGRET THAT LATER ON, LIKE, "I COULD HAVE DONE THAT, I HAD IT IN ME."
AND WHEN IT WAS FINISHED, I JUST FELT SO RELIEVED.
LIKE I SAID, I COULD JUST FEEL LIKE I COULD FLY.
I WON SECOND PLACE FOR MY EFFORTS, AND I FELT VERY PROUD OF MYSELF THAT I HAD DONE IT.
- "FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO."
- "OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH ON THIS CONTINENT A NEW NATION."
- "CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL."
- "NOW WE ARE ENGAGED IN A GREAT CIVIL WAR, "TESTING WHETHER THAT NATION OR ANY NATION SO CONCEIVED AND SO DEDICATED CAN LONG ENDURE."
- "WE ARE MET ON A GREAT BATTLEFIELD OF THAT WAR.
"WE HAVE COME TO DEDICATE A PORTION OF THAT FIELD "AS A FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR THOSE WHO HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT THAT NATION MIGHT LIVE."
- "IT IS ALTOGETHER FITTING AND PROPER THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS."
- "BUT IN A LARGER SENSE, WE CANNOT DEDICATE-- WE CANNOT CONSECRATE-- WE CANNOT HALLOW THIS GROUND."
- "THE BRAVE MEN, LIVING AND DEAD, WHO STRUGGLED HERE "HAVE CONSECRATED IT FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER TO ADD OR DETRACT."
- "THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE NOR LONG REMEMBER WHAT WE SAY HERE, BUT IT CAN NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY DID HERE."
- "IT IS FOR US THE LIVING, RATHER, "TO BE DEDICATED HERE TO THE UNFINISHED WORK WHICH THEY WHO FOUGHT HERE HAVE THUS FAR SO NOBLY ADVANCED."
- "IT IS RATHER FOR US TO BE HERE DEDICATED TO THE GREAT TASK REMAINING BEFORE US."
- "THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD, WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION "TO THAT CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY GAVE THE LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION."
"THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE THAT THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN," - "THAT THIS NATION UNDER GOD SHALL HAVE A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM" - "AND THAT GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH."
VO: Your skin, and teeth... MAN: Ferocious!
Look at those teeth.
VO: Your hair...even your sense of hearing date back to ancestors that walked the earth over 200 million years ago.
MAN: We're related to egg layers.
We carry the genetic signature inside of us.
VO: It's time to meet Your Inner Reptile.
Coming up next.
Only on PBS.
Female announcer: LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE ADDRESS" AND SHARE YOUR OWN VERSION OF THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS ONLINE AT PBS.ORG/THEADDRESS.
"THE ADDRESS" IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.
TO ORDER, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.
THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON iTUNES.
- DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT AS WILLIAM SHATNER?
- GO AHEAD.
- "FOUR AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, "OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH ON THIS CONTINENT A NEW NATION "CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL."
[BELL DINGS] - "FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO,"
The Address.
Explore Free Resources
