Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Address

In the article, “Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address,” Abraham Lincoln, the United States President during the Civil war, persuaded his audience. He wrote in such a way to say that “That was in the past, and now we must act,” he would describe the situation from both sides at a neutral standpoint, and would use things like rhetorical questions to emphasize his point.

Lincoln’s optimistic tone attempts to persuade the audience into forgiving the South and making peace. For instance, Lincoln says, “to bind up the nation’s wounds,”, a bright and encouraging quote for the country’s future. By referring to the Union and Confederacy as a one entity, it depicts them as a single united country. What Lincoln also suggests is that the Civil War is not fatal and that the

By the time Lincoln delivered his 2nd Inaugural Address in 1865 he had come to the realization that perhaps God did have a stronger role in the Civil War. After the death of his son he had started to re-evaluate God’s role in the war and wanted to know what everybody was also asking which was What was God’s will in the crisis. Each side, the North and South, believed in the same God and read the same Bible, but yet were not on the same page when it came to slavery. Each believed that God was on their side and that slavery was right or that slavery was a sin. The emancipation was a religious moment because it was as if a “new heaven and a new Earth” was created, many saw it as a new beginning although it only freed slaves in the South and racism

Language plays a crucial role in the development of power. Famous personalities in the United States use rhetorical devices to emphasize a specific point and make it clear to the audience. President Thomas Jefferson is a Democratic-Republican and won the election of 1800. In 1801 he presented his inauguration speech and was significant because it was the first time in the history when the power shifted from one party to the other. Martin Luther King, Jr. served as an American minister and played an active role in the civil rights movement. John F. Kennedy delivered his speech during his inauguration in order to develop relations with the Soviet Union and end Cold War. All the speeches were delivered by most known personalities and made use of rhetorical devices such as allusion and repetition to make their message memorable in the hearts of the citizens of America.

On March 4, 1865 Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address as president of the United States. The inaugural address came at the very end of the American Civil War, and just a month before the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Prior to this address, the United States had been split into two different independent states, the Union and the Confederacy. Throughout Abraham Lincoln’s first term and the very beginning of his second, Lincoln had to deal with the secession of the eleven states that made up the Confederacy. Also during the war, Lincoln competed in the 1864 presidential election in which his leadership was challenged by George B. McClellan. This inaugural address was important at the time, and remains a relic of Abraham Lincoln’s powerful speaking ability.

Abraham Lincoln believed that to preserve the union, he would need to free slaves, but it was more than that, he needed to find a way to bring the country together as one rather than separation. He said himself, " if I could save the union, without freeing any slave I would do it...", that shows that the abolition of slavery was not Lincoln's number one priority, but he believed it needed to be done in order to preserve the Union.

The Gettysburg Address was a speech composed and addressed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, at the time of the political fight in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. At that time, Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States. He was also the President who led America through the Civil War. During the Civil War, at Gettysburg, some soldiers died protecting the nation. This was mentioned in Lincoln’s speech, which was meant to be dedicated to the soldiers who died defending their people. He spoke of how a piece of land on Earth should be dedicated in their memory in order to show respect for dead soldiers. The Gettysburg Address was an effective way of President Abraham Lincoln communicating with the people of the United States at a time

Lincoln’s optimistic tone attempts to persuade the audience into forgiving the South and making peace. For instance, Lincoln says, “to bind up the nation’s wounds,”, a bright and encouraging quote for the country’s future. By referring to the Union and Confederacy as a one entity, it depicts them as a single united country. What Lincoln also suggests is that the Civil

“The pattern of the prodigal is: rebellion, ruin, repentance, reconciliation, restoration” (Edwin Louis Cole). Abraham Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” is a speech that highlights every point in Cole’s quote. He, Lincoln, talks about how the south manages to rebel, how their economy will be left in ruin, how they will repent and be forgiven by both God and the North, how the North and the South will reconcile, and finally he talks of how the nation will move on to restoration. Abraham Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” emphasizes the reconciliation of a torn apart nation by appealing to pathos, logos, and ethos and by using diction to appeal to the listener’s emotion.

The primary source I have chosen is the “Second Inaugural Address” by Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865. Lincoln delivered his address as the Civil War was drawing to a conclusion and the final ends towards slavery. His address was to thousands of spectators, but was intended for a national and international audience. Some of the conspirators involved with Lincoln’s assassination such as John Wilkes Booth, George Atzerodt, and John Surratt were present in the crowd during the inauguration. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. Abraham most importantly led the Civil War into victory. He preserved the Union, abolished slavery, and strengthened the federal government, while also modernizing the economy.

In President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, he speaks to the crowds gathered before him to discuss his view on the standing of the nation during final months the Civil War. With his speech, Lincoln intends to fully explain his view of the future. More specifically, a future that consists of the Union and the Confederacy existing as a united front after the war’s end. Through his speech he intends to have both Northerners and Southerners buy into his dream of the unified future. Understanding that each group would respond to different appeals, Lincoln knew that he would have to use a number of approaches to convince each group in his audience to agree with his message. To enrapture the hearts and minds of each in totality, Lincoln made sure that his words appealed to the public’s emotional and logical senses in full.

President Abraham Lincoln orated a powerful persuasive speech in his Second Inaugural Address, just one month before the end of the Civil War. This speech shed light to his contemplation of the effects of the Civil War and provided his vision for the future of the nation. Lincoln’s address was written through a logical theme that focused on the unity of the country. He used religion, specific diction, and flat-out logical thinking to convey his message. The speech was given as the Civil War was ending, and President Lincoln wanted to provide a bit of light in a very dark time. He could have given the lengthy speech that the audience expected; but instead, he gave a short message of unity that fueled the United States for years to come.

Washington’s farewell address and Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address both mention about the military, the relationship between North the South. Also they both achieve and cherish a just and peace nation. Lincoln’ thinks people are afraid of the civil war, so they are trying to avoid the civil war happen. However, Lincoln claims the reason cause the war was interest, he is telling people he would devotes altogether to saving the Union without war. In Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address, we can see Lincoln is more focus on the slavery. However, in Washington’s farewell address, he is telling people more about the relationship between North the South, not just focus on slavery, he thinks the North and South are in an unrestrained intercourse with each

"These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and to our fellow men." This quote from Roosevelt's speech relates most to how he fought the Great Depression because it shows that he isn't afraid and that he has a plan to help America come back better than ever ("First Inaugural Address").

Language plays a crucial role in the development of power. Presidents in the United States use rhetorical devices to emphasize a specific point and to make it clear to the audience. President Thomas Jefferson is a democratic republican and he won the election of 1800; there he presented his inauguration speech, this speech had significance because it was first time in the history when the power shifted from one party to the other. Martin Luther King, Jr. served as an American minister and played an active role in the civil rights movement. To further increase his liability in the civil rights movement, he presented “I have a dream” speech that improved his position in the movement by mentioning equality rights that all men deserve. John F. Kennedy delivered his speech during his inauguration tried to develop relations with Soviet Union and end Cold War. All the speeches delivered by most known personalities used rhetorical devices such as allusion and repetition to make their message memorable in the hearts of the citizens of America.