Spot the Parallelism in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
Can you identify all the parallel structures that make this speech so powerful?
Level 1: Identifying Parallelism
Instructions: Click on phrases that demonstrate parallelism—repeated grammatical structures that create rhythm and emphasis.
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 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.
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 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.
Hints:
- Look for repeated grammatical patterns, like two verbs with the same structure.
- Pay special attention to phrases connected by "and" or "or"—they often show parallelism.
- The most famous example has three prepositional phrases in a row at the very end.
- Some parallel structures use repetition of the same words (like "we can not . . .").
✦ Excellent Work! ✦
Parallel Structures in the Gettysburg Address:
- "conceived in Liberty" / "dedicated to the proposition": past-tense verbs with prepositional phrases modifying "nation"
- "so conceived" / "so dedicated": matching adverbs + past-tense verbs structures
- "we can not dedicate" / "we can not consecrate" / "we can not hallow": triple parallel verb phrases with identical subject and matching structure
- "living and dead": parallel adjectives describing the brave men
- "little note" / "long remember" / "never forget": parallel adverb + verb structures
- "we say here" / "they did here": parallel subject + verb + adverb clauses
- "It is for us..." / "It is rather for us...": parallel sentence openings for emphasis
- Four "that" clauses: "that from these honored dead we take..." / "that we here highly resolve..." / "that this nation..." / "that government..." are parallel in style and structure
- "of the people" / "by the people" / "for the people": the memorable trio of prepositional phrases
- "fitting and proper": parallel adjectives describing appropriateness
- "add or detract": parallel verbs showing opposing actions
- "that nation" / "any nation": parallel noun phrases contrasting specific and general
⚖️ Master Legal Parallelism ⚖️
Apply your skills to real Supreme Court sentences.
Level 2: Creating Parallel Structure
Level 1 Complete!
Parallelism Master!
🏛️ Excellence in Legal Writing Achieved! 🏛️
Level 2 Score: 0%
You can be a great legal writer.