So four plus seven equals 87 years. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. The Declaration of Independence, issued 87 years before this date, marked the founding of America as a country. President Lincoln was alluding to the past and everything that America represented. This one phrase has a religious undertone as well. Text Definition of Gettysburg Address The text of the Gettysburg Address is only 270 words long and was delivered in under three minutes. The language of the Gettysburg Address is eloquently written, with added meaning and significance to the people and nation behind each line of speech. It is the final known copy written by Lincoln, as well as the only one that he signed and dated. It is presently on exhibit in the Lincoln Room of the White House. Four hundred and seven years ago, our forefathers founded a new nation on this continent, conceived in liberty and devoted to the concept that all men are created equal.