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WorksheetsRhetorical Analysis: Syntax in the Gettysburg Address
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 8mins
How does Lincoln's use of parallel structure in the phrase "government of the people, by the people, for the people" contribute to the overall impact of the Gettysburg Address?
It emphasizes the role of government in economic development.
It reinforces the democratic ideals upon which the nation was founded.
It highlights the military achievements of the Union army.
It suggests a need for governmental reform.
In the sentence "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here," what is the effect of the conjunction "but"?
It creates a unity between the unrelated topics in each clause.
It contrasts the significance of words with the significance of actions.
It suggests that both clauses are equally important.
It mitigates the importance of the soldiers' actions.
Analyze how Lincoln's use of repetition in "we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground" serves his rhetorical purpose.
It creates a sense of grandeur and sophistication of thought.
It emphasizes the limitations of the living in honoring the dead.
It suggests that the ground is already sacred.
It highlights the need for military victory to honor the dead soldiers.
What is the primary purpose of Lincoln's use of antithesis in the Gettysburg Address?
To better relate to the audience via contradictory statements.
To highlight the differences between the North and the South.
To dramatize the contrast between words and actions.
To emphasize the importance of military strategy.
Evaluate the effect of the cumulative sentence structure in the opening line of the Gettysburg Address: "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."
It confuses the audience with too much information at once.
It provides a clear and straightforward introduction to the speech.
It diminishes the importance of the historical context.
It suggests that the nation was founded on weak principles.
In what way does the structure of the final sentence of the Gettysburg Address enhance its rhetorical impact?
By using a series of ideas that are all equal in importance and sophistication.
By creating a hierarchy of ideas that build to a powerful conclusion.
By focusing on how past achievements can provide a future for the nation.
By emphasizing the importance of the soldiers' sacrifice.
Analyze the rhetorical effect of Lincoln's decision to use the phrase "we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground."
It suggests that the ground itself is important and should be commemorated.
It emphasizes the sacredness of the soldiers' sacrifice.
It enables Lincoln to better connect with his audience.
It highlights the need for further military action.
What rhetorical choice is used in this excerpt: "we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground”
Parallelism
Antithesis
Parenthetical
What rhetorical device is used in the phrase "of the people, by the people, for the people"?
Cumulative
Parenthetical
Antithesis
Parallelism
What rhetorical choice is used in this excerpt: "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."
Parenthetical
Cumulative
Parallelism
Evaluate the effect of the cumulative sentence structure in the opening line of the Gettysburg Address: "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."
It provides extension details to the audience with much of the information provided at the beginning of the sentence.
It begins with the establishment of the United States followed by clear and easy to understand details, such as the values of the country
It emphasizes the importance of the historical context of the speech by beginning with a clear definition of each of the founding values.
It organizes the ideas in a manner that suggests that the nation was founded on key principles.
What sentences lengths does Lincoln use in his second paragraph (sentences 2-5) of the Inaugural Address?
Most of the paragraph is a series of short, simple sentences that build to a grand finish
Lincoln employs equal sentence length throughout the paragraph.
Lincoln utilizes several long, complex sentences only in his paragraph.
Most of the paragraph is long, complex sentences, but the paragraph ends with a simple sentence.
Analyze the rhetorical effect of Lincoln's syntactical decisions in this sentence: "But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground."
The repeated verbs of "dedicate... consecrate... hallow" suggests that the ground in and of itself is important.
The conjunction "But" shows this speech is more than a dedication of a cemetery speech
The repetition of the clause "we can not" helps Lincoln better relate to the audience.
The repetition of the clause "we can not" highlights the need for further military action.
What is the effect of the parenthetical information provided within this sentence: "The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract
It suggests that all soldiers are honors.
It downplays the significance of words as opposed to actions.
What is the effect of the parenthetical information provided in this sentence: "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 indicates that the deceased did not complete their work and cannot be completed by those who struggled.
It emphasizes that the living should remember the past to best honor those who died.
