At the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg in 1863, renowned speaker Edward Everett delivered a 2.5-hour, 15,000-word speech, while Abraham Lincoln spoke for only 2.5 minutes with just 272 words; despite Everett's extensive preparation and reputation as the most famous speaker of his day, Lincoln's brief and accessible words became the defining address of the Civil War, demonstrating that effective communication often relies on clarity and memorability rather than length.
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Forgotten Gettysburg: Abraham Lincoln’s Warm-Up Act #history #americaAdded:
Edward Everett had been waiting his entire life for a moment as grand as the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg in 1863. However, he went from main event to warm-up act in a matter of moments. The most famous speaker of his day, the dedication was actually pushed back over a month to accommodate the time he needed to write his speech. Lincoln, not quite enjoying much popularity, was invited after Everett to give a few appropriate remarks. To his defense, Everett wrote what he thought would match the moment, a 15,000 word speech or 29 pages in size 12 font Microsoft Word today that lasted 2 and 1/2 hours. It was so long that several people, including Union General John Gibbon, left the speech to tour the battlefield and came back to find him still talking. Lincoln, of course, spoke for 2 and 1/2 minutes, uttering only 272 words.
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