We propose and demonstrate a new approach, to the best of our knowledge, for avoiding nonlinear effects in the amplification of ultrashort optical pulses. The initial pulse is divided longitudinally into a sequence of lower-energy pulses that are otherwise identical to the original, except for the polarization. The low-intensity pulses are amplified and then recombined to create a final intense pulse. This divided-pulse amplification complements techniques based on dispersion management.