What Does 4 Score And 7 Years Ago Mean

Lincoln gave this speech in 1863 87 years after 1776 the year of the founding of the united states.

A score is 20 years. A long time ago. So fourscore and seven years would be 87 years after the american fathers established the united sates 1776 with a constituiton after winning the revolution against england. Four score and seven years ago not comparable idiomatic often humorous used sometimes sarcastically to indicate that a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

Four score and seven years ago would be 87 years ago that lincoln is referring to in his gettysburg address how many years are fourscore and seven. Lincoln s address starts with four score and seven years ago a score is equal to 20 years so he was referencing 87 years ago 1776 when the declaration of independence was signed. Ago and four score seven year. 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.