Is that 407 or 47 years ago or what? Is score a decade?
2007-09-19 09:25:49 · 11 answers · asked by lu_dicrous 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
87 years. A score is 20 years. So 4 score is 80 years. Add 7 years, you get 87.
It sounds a bit more elevating than if he had said "87 years ago", or "a while ago". Lincoln had a way with words. "Four score and seven years ago" gives people pause to think. And it gives the speech an introductory pace.
Lincoln had genius when it came to writing a speech.
Lincoln gave the speech on November 19, 1863. Back 87 years off that and you get 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, the beginning of the formation of the United States.
2007-09-19 09:28:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 12⤊ 1⤋
A score is 20 years - so 4 score and 7 is 87 years. Lincoln is referring to the Revolution.
2007-09-19 16:32:58 · answer #2 · answered by PJH 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
87. Four times 20 (score) = 80 + 7
2007-09-19 16:34:10 · answer #3 · answered by witchgurl2684 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A "score" is 20.
Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address, was referring to the 87 years since the founding of the United States.
2007-09-19 16:32:35 · answer #4 · answered by lunatic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is as others have noted, 87 years. So I have now answered the question, and correctly I might add. Just not as well as the first answerer. But then, who could. That answer was right on!
What I am trying to figure out is where one answerer to this is going. It looks like the first answer is correct and the answerer gives a little extra info to help in the understanding. So nicely done and he/she will get a thumbs up from me.
But there is another answer here that just blows my mind! Is he/she just trying to steal some points? Please asker, don't choose that one for best answer. I looked up one particular answerer in this website. Most of his/her % score for best answers comes from 2 or 3 votes per answer when the asker doesn't pick. It looks like this person puts answers in that go way above and beyond the call, hoping to dazzle the asker into a decision.
Then if the asker doesn't decide, he/she votes more than once (must have 2 or 3 extra accounts) for his/her answer, thereby inflating his/her score to make him/herself seem very important. Maybe mommy didn't give enough love.
Note to Answers personnel - I did answer the question and have not singled out anyone by name or number in this addendum. So if you flag this as a violation, please explain why, instead of having the computer send a form letter. But I truly believe this is not a violation.
I am going to guess that if someone who answered this question flagged this as a violation, check that person's history. Might be a guilty conscience. If not a person who answered, check associations. Might be one of his/her extra voters.
2007-09-20 15:27:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
a score is 20 years so four score and 7 years ago is 87 years.
2007-09-19 16:33:34 · answer #6 · answered by sparkydog_1372 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone else who's answered is right. So I'll just say that that was a common way of saying things back in the old days. Instead of saying "twenty five" a person would often say "twenty and five."
Plus, "Four score and seven years ago" sounds more poetic than "87 years ago..." ^_~
2007-09-19 16:39:57 · answer #7 · answered by willow oak 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a score is an old way of saying 20....
so 4 score = 80
four score and seven=87
2007-09-19 16:33:33 · answer #8 · answered by aidan402 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
where DID you get your info? make it up? a score, my unlearned friend, is 20, so...........four score equals 80 and seven - voila - 87. that's what it really means. get it? got it? good! lincoln was being fancy but math is still math.
2007-09-19 16:32:18 · answer #9 · answered by blackjack432001 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was going to say exactly what CJ said but it seems a bit redundant now. I gave CJ a thumbs up and recommend him for best answer.
I'll move on now.
2007-09-19 16:50:32 · answer #10 · answered by gimpalomg 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋