Abraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address - 1070 Words

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. In the late 1850’s, tension were rising between the northern states and the southern states. These tensions began long ago, but continued to rise before the election of 1860. The main topic of debate at this time was slavery. Southern states relied on slavery for economic production. Many in the north wanted to limit the spread of slavery, or outright ban it. Those opposed to slavery had numerous reasons from political to ethical and religious reasons. The election of 1860 had 4 large candidates: Abraham Lincoln, John C Breckinridge, John Bell, and Stephen A. Douglas. Abraham Lincoln won the popular vote and electoral vote and was elected president in 1860, taking over from James Buchanan. In theShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of Abraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address1234 Words   |  5 PagesTiana Lanier Professor Lara Chapman Rhetorical Communication: A Theory of Civil Discourse July 7th, 2015 Rhetorical Discourse in Two Distinct Pieces of Work; Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address Emily Dickinson’s Success is Counted Sweetest Rhetoric is often denoted to as the art of persuasion. A set of linguistic traits and semantics used to evoke emotional responses from its intended audience, opening the floor for unanticipated influence by said audience. It would be an atrocity to ignoreRead MoreThe Second Inaugural Address By Abraham Lincoln852 Words   |  4 PagesThe primary source I have chosen is the â€Å"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 wereRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : The Greatest President Of The United States1051 Words   |  5 Pages Abraham Lincoln, arguably said to be the greatest president of the United States, was simply a smooth-tongued politician with the ability to sway the masses and imbibe a sense of patriotism which would allow for the United States to go to war against itself, all while under the guise of equality and slavery; when in reality the war was about individual state rights, and the fact that the southern states were becoming too powerful to be controlled by the centralized federal government. Even fromRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln1117 Words   |  5 PagesWar. The sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln, administered in the oval office during this time of chaos. Lincoln’s presidency revolved around many issues that were tearing the nation apart. His duty was to ease tension with regards to slavery and emancipation, cease secession, and preserve the Union. Lincoln is best known for three of his greatest presidential addresses: The House Divided Speech, First Inaugural Address, and Second Inaugural Address. These addr ess helped bring the Union out of despairRead MoreAbraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address877 Words   |  4 PagesAbraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address In the Second Inaugural Address (1865), Abraham Lincoln contemplates that they, as a United Nation, should reflect on the effects of the Civil War and move towards a better future for this nation. He addresses God and the issue of slavery in order to encourage the Northern and Southern states towards reconciliation. Lincoln tries to reveal his intention by utilizing figurative diction, parallel syntax, and a shifting tone. Abraham Lincoln usesRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln924 Words   |  4 PagesAbraham Lincoln was the United States 16th President in 1861. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Lincoln, which freed slaves. According to the National Archives and Records Administration, â€Å"The proclamation declared, that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free† (Archives.gov). Despite the fact that the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves, it paved the way for African-American to fight for freedom. It also changed the focusRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Civil War1095 Words   |  5 Pages1861 Abraham Lincoln became the sixteen president of the United States. He had the Proclamation of declaring forever to free slaves within the Confederacy in the year 1863. Lincoln directly told the South In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you.... You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it. Lincoln wasRead MoreAmeric Essential American Document1356 Words   |  6 Pagesphysical and verbal. Three stand out to me: Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt, and Susan B Anthony. Franklin D Roosevelt s â€Å"Four Freedoms† speech and â€Å"Request for Declaration of War on Japan†, Abraham Lincoln’s â€Å"Gettysburg Address† and â€Å"Second Inaugural Address†, and Susan B Anthony’s â€Å"Women’s Right to the Suffrage†. These five speeches changed America at the time to what we have and live by today. The first, of the five, is Franklin Delano Roosevelt s â€Å"Four Freedoms† speech. â€Å"In the future daysRead MoreAmerican History : Essential American Documents1353 Words   |  6 Pagesphysical and verbal. Three stand out to me: Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt, and Susan B Anthony. Franklin D Roosevelt s â€Å"Four Freedoms† speech and â€Å"Request for Declaration of War on Japan†, Abraham Lincoln’s â€Å"Gettysburg Address† and â€Å"Second Inaugural Address†, and Susan B Anthony’s â€Å"Women’s Right to the Suffrage†. These five speeches changed America at the time to what we have and live by today. The first, of the five, is Franklin Delano Roosevelt s â€Å"Four Freedoms† speech. â€Å"In the futureRead MoreAmeric Essential American Document1356 Words   |  6 Pagesphysical and verbal. Three stand out to me: Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt, and Susan B Anthony. Franklin D Roosevelt s â€Å"Four Freedoms† speech and â€Å"Request for Declaration of War on Japan†, Abraham Lincoln’s â€Å"Gettysburg Address† and â€Å"Second Inaugural Address†, and Susan B Anthony’s â€Å"Women’s Right to the Suffrage†. These five speeches changed America at the time to what we have and live by today. The first, of the five, is Franklin Delano Roosevelt s â€Å"Four Freedoms† speech. â€Å"In the future days