# Edward Everett

> American politician, pastor, educator, diplomat and orator (1794–1865)

**Wikidata**: [Q434905](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q434905)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Everett)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/edward-everett

## Summary
Edward Everett was an American politician, pastor, educator, diplomat, and renowned orator who lived from 1794 to 1865. He served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, Governor of Massachusetts, and Secretary of State. Everett is perhaps best known for delivering the featured speech at the Gettysburg National Cemetery dedication in 1863, preceding Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address.

## Biography
- Born: 1794
- Died: 1865
- Nationality: American
- Education: Harvard University
- Known for: Political leadership, oratory, education, diplomacy
- Employer(s): Harvard University, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Governor of Massachusetts, Secretary of State, Minister to Great Britain
- Field(s): Politics, education, diplomacy, oratory

## Contributions
Edward Everett made significant contributions across multiple fields during his lifetime. As an educator, he served as President of Harvard University from 1846 to 1849, where he implemented important reforms and expanded the institution's curriculum. In politics, Everett served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1825-1835) and one term in the U.S. Senate (1853-1854), advocating for education and infrastructure development. As Governor of Massachusetts (1836-1840), he established the state's first board of education and helped create normal schools for teacher training. Everett also served as United States Minister to Great Britain (1841-1845), successfully negotiating the Webster-Ashburton Treaty that resolved border disputes between the U.S. and Canada. His most famous oration was delivered at the Gettysburg National Cemetery dedication on November 19, 1863, where his two-hour speech preceded Lincoln's brief but immortal address.

## FAQs
Where did Edward Everett work?
Edward Everett worked at Harvard University as both a professor and president, served in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, was Governor of Massachusetts, served as U.S. Minister to Great Britain, and held the position of Secretary of State under President Fillmore.

What is Edward Everett most famous for?
Edward Everett is most famous for delivering the main speech at the Gettysburg National Cemetery dedication in 1863, a two-hour oration that preceded Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He is also renowned for his exceptional oratory skills throughout his political career.

What educational institutions was Edward Everett affiliated with?
Edward Everett was affiliated with Harvard University throughout his life, first as a student, then as a professor of Greek literature, and later as the university's president from 1846 to 1849. He also studied at the University of Göttingen in Germany.

What political positions did Edward Everett hold?
Edward Everett held numerous political positions including U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (1825-1835), Governor of Massachusetts (1836-1840), U.S. Minister to Great Britain (1841-1845), U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1853-1854), and Secretary of State (1852-1853).

## Why They Matter
Edward Everett matters because he exemplified the 19th-century ideal of the educated statesman who could excel in multiple domains. His career bridged the worlds of academia, politics, and diplomacy at a crucial period in American history. As an orator, Everett set the standard for public speaking in an era when lengthy, carefully crafted speeches were the primary means of political communication. His educational reforms as Governor of Massachusetts laid the groundwork for the state's public school system, influencing education policy nationwide. As a diplomat, his successful negotiation of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty helped prevent potential conflict with Britain and established clearer boundaries for the growing nation. Perhaps most significantly, his presence at Gettysburg and his relationship with Lincoln connect him to one of the most pivotal moments in American history, even though his own speech has been overshadowed by the President's brief remarks.

## Notable For
- Delivered the main oration at the Gettysburg National Cemetery dedication in 1863
- Served as President of Harvard University from 1846 to 1849
- Established Massachusetts' first board of education as Governor
- Successfully negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty as U.S. Minister to Great Britain
- Served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate
- Known as one of the greatest American orators of the 19th century
- Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Studied at the University of Göttingen, bringing European educational perspectives to America

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Edward Everett was born in 1794 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, during the early years of the American republic. He demonstrated exceptional academic promise from a young age, entering Harvard College at just 16 years old and graduating as valedictorian in 1811. Following his undergraduate studies, Everett continued at Harvard, earning a master's degree and being ordained as a Unitarian minister. His early career combined religious service with teaching, as he served as a pastor at Boston's Brattle Street Church while also lecturing at Harvard.

### Academic Career
Everett's academic career reached its pinnacle when he became President of Harvard University in 1846, succeeding Josiah Quincy. During his presidency, he implemented significant reforms including expanding the curriculum to include more modern subjects, improving the university's finances, and working to raise academic standards. However, his presidency was marked by challenges, including conflicts with faculty and students, and he resigned in 1849 after just three years. Prior to his presidency, Everett had built a reputation as a brilliant scholar of Greek literature, having studied abroad at the University of Göttingen, where he earned a Ph.D. - one of the first Americans to receive this degree.

### Political Career
Everett's political career began in 1825 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a National Republican. He served five consecutive terms, becoming a prominent figure in Congress and serving as chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. In 1836, Everett was elected Governor of Massachusetts, serving three one-year terms. As governor, he established the state's first board of education, appointed Horace Mann as its secretary, and helped create normal schools for teacher training - reforms that would influence education policy across the nation. After his governorship, Everett served as United States Minister to Great Britain from 1841 to 1845, where he successfully negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, resolving border disputes between the United States and Canada. He later served a brief term in the U.S. Senate in 1853-1854 and concluded his political career as Secretary of State under President Millard Fillmore from 1852 to 1853.

### Oratory and Public Speaking
Edward Everett was renowned throughout the 19th century as America's greatest orator. In an era before mass media, public speaking was the primary means of political communication, and Everett mastered the art form. His speeches were known for their erudition, classical allusions, and careful construction. He delivered numerous notable orations including the Phi Beta Kappa address at Harvard in 1824, which brought him to national attention. His most famous speech was delivered at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863, where he spoke for over two hours to dedicate the military cemetery. Everett meticulously prepared this address, drawing on his classical education and knowledge of military history. While Lincoln's brief remarks that followed have overshadowed Everett's speech in popular memory, contemporaries recognized Everett's address as a masterpiece of 19th-century oratory.

### Later Years and Legacy
In his later years, Everett remained active in public life, supporting the Union cause during the Civil War and campaigning for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and 1864. He continued to write and speak on various topics, including education, politics, and history. Everett died in 1865, just months after the Civil War ended, marking the close of a career that spanned the formative decades of the American republic. His legacy is complex - while his lengthy orations now seem antiquated, his contributions to education reform, his diplomatic achievements, and his role in American political life during a transformative period ensure his place in the nation's history. The Edward Everett Square in Dorchester and various institutions named after him preserve his memory in the community where he was born.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. Geni.com
4. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
5. [A New Nation Votes: American Electoral Returns, 1788-1825](https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/EE0018)
6. Library of the World's Best Literature
7. Find a Grave
8. International Standard Name Identifier
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. CiNii Research
11. [Source](https://archives.nypl.org/mss/4369)
12. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
13. SNAC
14. GeneaStar
15. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
16. [Source](https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/EE0018)
17. [Source](https://www.bartleby.com/library/bios/index3.html)
18. La France savante
19. Digital Scriptorium Catalog