When reading both Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” and John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address”, you are able to see the similarities and differences. In Lincoln’s speech, he discusses the ongoing problem the nation had been facing during the times of the Civil War, stating “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us.” The task that he mentions in his speech would be to continue on the legacy that the men at Gettysburg had died for, which was the freedom and equality of all people, so that the “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.” Compared to Kennedy’s speech, he claims that the nation’s problem at the time would be keeping the peace with international relationships, as he states, “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” The difference between these two speeches is the fact that the two are addressing two very different problems,  as is because of the time difference. Moreover, the two are telling these speeches at different moments of their careers, for Lincoln he is giving the speech after the Battle of Gettysburg, while Kennedy was giving his speech during his inauguration. In the end, I believe that the problems that the two presidents discuss about have not been properly solved. In terms of equality, there is still a problem in the way people are treated, with the need for movements like BLM to even exist. And for foreign peace, we have been able to keep the peace with most of the countries, even though there are a couple of issues here and there.

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