OnNovember191863AbrahamLincolnwenttoGettysburgtospeakattheNationalSoldiersCemetery(公墓).TheCivilWarwasstillgoingon.Therewasmuchcriticism(批评)ofPresidentLincolnatthetime.HehadbeeninvitedtospeakatGettysburgonlyoutofpoliteness.TheotherspeakerwastobeEdwardEverettafamousstatesman(政治家)andspeakeroftheday.Everettwasahandsomemanandverypopulareverywhere.
ItissaidthatLincolnpreparedhisspeechonthetrainwhilegoingtoGettysburg.Laterthatnightaloneinhishotelroomandtiredoutheagainworkedbrieflyonthespeech.ThenextdayEverettspokefirst.Hisspeechlastedanhourand57minutesanditwasaperfectexampleoftheday.ThenLincolnrose.Thecrowdof15000peopleatfirstpaidlittleattentiontohim.Hespokeforonlynineminutes.Attheendtherewaslittleapplause(掌声).Lincolnturnedtoafriendandsaid“Ihavefailedagain.”
Somenewspapersatfirstcriticized(批评)thespeech.Butlittlebylittleaspeoplereadthespeechtheybegantolikeitssimplicity(简洁)anditsdeepmeaning.ItwasaspeechwhichonlyAbrahamLincolncouldhavemade.
NoweveryonethinksofitasoneofthegreatestspeechesevergiveninAmericanhistory.
【小题1】In1863AbrahamLincolnwas__________________inGettysburg.