Hey friend! Have you ever wondered why Abraham Lincoln used old-timey phrases like "four score and seven years ago" in the Gettysburg Address? Or been curious about other antique number expressions used in the Bible and history? As a data analyst who geeks out on etymology, let me walk you through the fascinating origin of "four score" and other numerical sayings.
The Meaning of "Score"
The key to decoding "four score and seven years ago" is understanding what "score" meant. Today it makes us think of sports – but originally it meant 20!
See, "score" derives from ancient words like:
- Old Norse "skor" – a notch
- Old English "scoru" – twenty
- Old German "skora" – notch, tally
So a "score" was a notch or tally used to count groups of 20. (Kinda like how we use hashmarks now, but in groups of 5).
Shepherds back in the day would often tally sheep by carving notches on wood, one for each set of 20 animals. That‘s how "score" took on the specific meaning of 20!
So let‘s break down Abe Lincoln‘s famous phrase:
- "Four" = 4
- "Score" = 20
- "Four score" = 4 x 20 = 80
Why 80 and 7 Instead of Just 87?
Good question!
Lincoln chose to say "four score and seven years ago" because:
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It created a nice, memorable rhythm when spoken aloud.
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It echoed the style of the King James Bible – giving his words a sense of grandeur.
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It reminded everyone how young and fragile America was as a nation.
See, Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address in 1863. Exactly 87 years earlier, in 1776, America declared independence with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
So Lincoln very specifically referenced the nation‘s founding with "four score and seven years ago."
According to presidential historian Catherine Clinton, Lincoln wanted to emphasize that America was still just an experiment – a radical new republic testing democracy in an uncertain world.
He felt the "United States was setting an example for the world." Referencing 1776 reminded everyone how crucial it was that this experiment didn‘t fail.
How Long is Four Score and Seven Years?
Let‘s recap the math:
- "Score" means 20 years
- "Four score" is 4 x 20 = 80 years
- Add in the "seven years"
- Therefore, four score and seven years = 87 years
So by saying "four score and seven years ago," Lincoln pointed back 87 years from 1863 to America‘s founding in 1776.
What‘s a "Threescore"?
If you dig into really old texts like the King James Bible, you‘ll see "score" used in other combinations too.
For example, "threescore" means 3 x 20 = 60 years. The Bible mentions "threescore and ten" years to refer to a typical lifetime of 70 years:
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
So a "threescore" is 60. Add 10 more years and you get the 70 years implied by "threescore and ten."
Why Were Groups of 20 Called Scores?
Great question! The original meaning of "score" was a cut or notch in something.
Back in the day, shepherds would often tally sheep by cutting notches in wood – one for each set of 20 animals. That‘s how "score" came to specifically mean a group of 20.
Kind of like how classroom teachers use hashmarks to track groups of 5 students today!
How Long is Five Score Years?
Let‘s break this down:
- "Score" = 20 years
- "Five" = 5
So "five score" means 5 x 20 = 100 years
Abraham Lincoln was "four score and seven years", or 87 years old, when he gave his famous Gettysburg Address speech.
If Abe had lived to the ripe old age of 100, he would have been described as "five score" years old!
The Declaration of Independence
Earlier we talked about how Lincoln specifically said "four score and seven years ago" to point back 87 years from 1863 to America‘s founding in 1776.
So what happened that pivotal year?
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which officially separated the 13 American colonies from Great Britain.
This founding document declared "that all men are created equal" and endowed with the unalienable rights of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Lincoln saw the Declaration as embodying the core principles America was founded upon – and which the Civil War threatened to tear apart.
How Long is a Score?
Now that you‘re a pro at old-timey numbers, let‘s make sure you‘ve got this down pat:
- A "score" represents a group of 20
- It does not mean 10 years
For example:
- "Four score and seven" = 87 years
- "Three score and ten" = 70 years
- "Five score" = 100 years
So a "score" always equals 20 years, not 10!
Ancient Life Expectancy in the Bible
The Bible verse Psalm 90:10 refers to a lifetime as "threescore years and ten" or 70 years:
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
This matches archaeological evidence showing the average ancient Israelite lived only 30-40 years. Reaching 70 was rare!
So the Bible suggests normal life expectancy was 70 years, with 80 considered the max for those of great strength and health.
Paul‘s Missionary Journey in Acts 15:36
Let‘s look at one more numerical reference from the Bible. Acts 15:36 states:
"After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
Here, Paul proposes revisiting all the new Christian communities he and Barnabas had founded, to continue guiding and teaching them.
This was part of Paul‘s second missionary journey to spread the gospel across the ancient Mediterranean and Near East!
Well friend, I hope this deep dive into "four score" and other historical numbers was an interesting read! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Chat soon!
