And the Address at Gettysburg . . .

Nov 19th, 1863. Abraham Lincoln spoke for two minutes at Gettysburg. Here’s the Gettysburg Address:

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 battle-field 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 can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not 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.

One hundred forty-four years ago. Was there any doubt then — given the leadership and the stock of institutional capital — that the US was destined to be a great nation? And is there any doubt now — given the leadership and the destruction of institutional capital they have undertaken — what will become of the US in another one hundred and forty-four years?

On a lighter note, here is the Gettyburg Powerpoint Presentation. The slide-show is also brief — only 6 slides.

PS: Also check out why and how Peter Norvik created that ppt.