"Four score and seven years ago"

"Four score and seven years ago" is a famous phrase from President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, delivered in 1863. In this context, "four score" means 80 years (since a "score" equals 20 years), so he is referring to 87 years prior, which would be 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. Lincoln used this phrase to emphasize the nation's founding principles and the sacrifices made for freedom and equality. His address aimed to unite the nation during the Civil War by recalling its historical roots and the importance of continuing the fight for liberty.