Analysis Of Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Address

“Every drop of blood spilt with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword” (Lincoln 4). One month before the end of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln stood and delivered a very unique Inaugural Address, not only because it was his second, but because it was structured very different from others. Lincolns first term had followed the war closely, and it was a great feat to be reelected for a second term. Lincoln’s reelection showed the faith of the people in Lincoln’s ability to lead, and to bring the nation back under one banner. Just as at Gettysburg, Lincoln’s speech was concise, and only contained what he felt necessary to address, which is where the uniqueness of his speech is seen. No other president, when giving an inaugural address, had thought to talk on the state of the union, instead feeling content with just a smile and a quick thankyou speech to their voters. One month after this speech, Robert E. Lee would surrender at Appomattox, and only forty days after the speech, Lincoln would be shot at point blank range by John Wilkes Booth, whom had been within eyesight of Lincoln when he gave this address, starting one of the largest man hunts of the time.

In his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln proves to the nation that there is equal blame, on both sides of the war, for the war starting in the first place and shows that to levy blame on one side, or the other accomplishes nothing. Lincoln proves these things to the people by his tone changes throughout the speech, claiming that the war was inevitable, and by showing that the only logical path left is too work together to build a stronger nation than that which had separated four years previously.