C. US citizens must dedicate themselves to the preservation of the nation and freedom for all
Explanation:
The central claim of the Gettysburg Address was not exactly addressed by Answer C, but C is the closest answer to the real one. I'll write my take on the central claim of the Gettysburg Address just to give clarity.
The Gettysburg Address, written by Abraham Lincoln and spoken at a memorial held for those who sacrificed themselves in the Battle of Gettysburg, was written mainly for three reasons:
To commemorate those who died during the battle. Many families were gathered during the speech, along with military personnel. These people most likely knew at least one of those who had died, or shared a direct bond with them. But, although he does commemorate those who died, he goes a bit further than just this. He tells his audience to not 'hallow" the battles taking place; they are all just one part of the big picture of the Civil War.
To give reason for the deaths of so many. The Union was suffering many defeats to the Confederacy (because of a lack of experienced commanders mainly). Battles with high casualty rates were becoming commonplace within the Union especially, and many were starting to believe that they should withdraw Union troops and acknowledge the Confederacy as its own entity. This speech addressed these concerns by giving importance not just to those who died, but what they died for. The Union, if it stopped now, would be making the deaths of so many all for naught. <em>#3 will go over one way he did this.</em>
To connect the Civil War to a larger issue going beyond that of territorial loss or the argument of Industrialization vs. "King Cotton". Lincoln addressed the underlying issue which sparked both the Civil War and the American Revolution: freedom. He wants his audience to remember those who died just like they remembered those who fought in the American Revolution, and to continue their legacy by continuing to fight.
