THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC By: Karina Bodor

A FAMOUS SONG

HISTORY  First published in 1858 as “Canaan’s Happy Shore” a religious song which became very popular  When the Civil War began, the lyrics and name were changed  “John Brown’s Body” was sung at Union campfires as an unofficial anthem  (John Brown was an abolitionist who tried to start a slave revolt but was caught and executed.)  Confederate soldiers --own version of the words

THE BATTLE HYMN  Date when written: 1861  “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”  Written by: Julia Ward Howe (abolitionist)  challenge by a friend (James Freeman Clarke) to use more uplifting words

WHAT IT IS ABOUT  Gives encouragement to soldiers going off to war  Tells soldiers that God is on their side  That God is with them and fighting for them  That their side is right and the other side is evil

FIRST STANZA Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

WHAT IT MEANS  “ Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord” God is coming  “He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;” He will stomp on the bad people  “He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;” He will use his sword to fight  “His truth is marching on.” His way is the right way and he’s marching on with us

HOW IT RELATES TO THE TIME PERIOD  It relates to the time period because it was published a year after the Civil War began and the soldiers needed encouragement and strength to fight and to make them feel like they are on the right side and doing the right thing.  “let us die to make men free”- this talks about sacrifices and refers to the slavery issue

SONG BEFORE PUBLISHED Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the wine press, where the grapes of wrath are stored, He hath loosed the fateful lightnings of his terrible swift sword, His truth is marching on. I have seen him in the watchfires of an hundred circling camps They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps, I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps, His day is marching on. I have read a burning Gospel writ in fiery rows of steel, As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal, Let the hero born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, Our God is marching on. He has sounded out the trumpet that shall never call retreat, He has waked the earth's dull sorrow with a high ecstatic beat, Oh! be swift my soul to answer him, be jubilant my feet! Our God is marching on. In the whiteness of the lilies he was born across the sea, With a glory in his bosom that shines out on you and me, As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, Our God is marching on. He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave, He is wisdom to the mighty, he is succour to the brave, So the world shall be his footstool, and the soul of Time his slave, Our God is marching on

BIBLIOGRAPHY  Johnson Lewis, Jone. “Battle Hymn of the Republic- History and Words.” hymn.htm  Shmoop Editorial Team. "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov Web. 24 Mar