What is the point Lincoln makes about using the word "nation" in the G

Question: What is the point Lincoln makes about using the word "nation" in the Gettysburg Adress!.!?
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Lincoln's use of the word "nation" was important because before this time, a great many people still thought of the United States as exactly that -- a bunch of different states that all united but only to do certain things together, and which were otherwise pretty-darn independent nations all to themselves!.

People from New York felt like they were New Yorkers, not "Americans"!. People from Vermont felt like they were Vermonters, not "Americans"!.

When Lincoln said that the founders brought forth a new "nation" he was telling the people of the different states that they were all in the same nation!. That it wasn't just a bunch of completely go-your-own-way little nation-states who did certain things together (like beat back the British in the War of 1812, and decide to cooperate on trade across the state boundaries, etc!., etc!.)!.

Lincoln used the word "nation" four times in the speech!. Once in the beginning -- saying that the Founders had created a nation --, twice in the middle -- saying that it is a single "nation" that is fighting the war and that those who died did so in order that "this nation might live" --, and once at the end -- saying that the "government of the people, by the people, and for the people" is the single government of a single nation!.

These are carefully chosen placements for that word!. Indeed, in a speech of only 269 words, to use "nation" four times is very indicative of the importance of this word and concept to the speech, and to Lincoln!. He knew that only a single people truly united as a single nation could fight through the war!.

The war was then called the War Between The States (and is still called that in the South)!. Lincoln calling it a "civil war" was important!. Only a single nation can have a "Civil War" happen!. Before Lincoln said that the U!.S!. was a single nation, the war was not known as a "Civil War"!.

Lincoln made it so that people stopped saying "The United States are doing X, Y, Z" and started saying "The United States IS doing X, Y, Z"!. By telling everyone that this single "nation" will survive the war, the days of "states' rights" were numbered, and the belief in a strong central government for all the various United States became more firmly established!.Www@QuestionHome@Com