Preview

Lincoln Second Inaugural Address Rhet Ana

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
545 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Lincoln Second Inaugural Address Rhet Ana
Cassie Balfanz
Period 5 In the speech given to the divided population of the United States (both North and South) at the time of taking his second term as President, Abraham Lincoln announced his vision for the future of his great country once again becoming whole. Lincoln makes mention of many items that drive his view and position on the current happenings of the Civil War. These references calm his “Fellow-Countrymen” so to speak, and allow for the future to begin when his speech ends. Lincoln experiments with very specific details to convey his wishes. This almost unveils a hidden imagery within, as one can visualize him speaking to the divided nation. He starts off his speech stating it is his “second appearing to take the oath”, to remind everybody that he was elected as President once again. With this, he hopes people will be reminded why they put their trust in him for the last four years, and that they can do it again. He goes on to state “one-eighth of the whole population…” as if he was telling the country a sick and twisted secret. However, it is no secret that the war happens to be about the issue of the very one-eighth he refers to. Lincoln gathers his audience’s attention towards the middle of his speech (possibly to regain interest) by making reference to everyone’s Lord and Savior. Religion was still the most popular take on things. He doesn’t try to hide that there have been far more casualties than anticipated, but rather makes it sound okay by stating, “the Almighty has His own purposes,” and “yet if God wills that it [the Civil War] continue…” He also incorporates a slight repetition when he says, “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray…” He praises God to imply he is not attempting to become a Godlike figure by ending the war. He does not want to sound like some robot when giving his speech; he truly yearns for the country to become whole. When he finally mentions the salves of the South, he states a rule of three, “To strengthen,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In Lincoln’s opening lines of his speech, he establishes that he knows that neither attitude has changed. The North is still pressing for expulsion of slavery and the South is still pushing for expansion of slavery. However, he establishes that slavery is not the point of his address. He uses words such as “extended,” “pursued,” “progress” and “reasonably satisfactory” to show that his main points are the effects the war will have on future generations. He does not address the issue with a condescending tone: he speaks in a supportive, optimistic way that encourages unity.…

    • 210 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    LINCOLN'S SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS. Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on 4 March 1865. As Lincoln prepared to speak, the Civil War was drawing to a close. Newspapers were filled with reports of the armies of William T. Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant. As late as August 1864, neither Lincoln nor his Republican Party believed he could win reelection. Now Lincoln would be the first president inaugurated for a second term in thirty-two years. The crowd of thirty to forty thousand was greeted by an ongoing rain that produced ten inches of mud in the streets of Washington. Sharpshooters were on the rooftops surrounding the ceremony. Rumors abounded that Confederates might attempt to abduct or…

    • 165 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Could you imagine being the president of the United States during the Civil War? Imagine how hard it would have been to have blood on your hands, because every decision you made, would have still led to war. These were some of the thoughts going through president Lincoln's head as he gave his second inaugural speech. During his address, Lincoln uses syntax, irony, and ethos to express his feelings about the upcoming war.…

    • 181 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Abraham Lincoln's speech addresses the issues of slavery and how the civil war could have been avoided. Lincoln appeals to the American people's sense of jingoism and references the bible to create a common ground for the people to relate with.…

    • 339 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    On May 30, 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated, the world witnessed how $2,000,000 in federal dollars, 38,000 tons of marble, limestone and granite and eight years of American elbow grease, had finally resulted in something truly spectacular, had resulted in a very, very expensive typo.…

    • 220 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Speech, he makes use of ethos, logos, and details. President Lincoln’s second appearance in front of the American people demonstrates ethos.The fact that this is his second time giving this time of speech makes the American people believe what he is going say. Lincoln’s credibility lies in this quote: “At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential Office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first.” This quote erases the idea that the following speech will be filled with empty promises and nonsense. Because Lincoln has done it before, he knows that he should spend this short amount of time discussing real issues with the American people and so they will actually…

    • 242 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In addition, he appeals to the guilt and obloquy felt about the war by the American people, both north and south. In order to do this, Lincoln calls to action those responsible: everyone, even himself; he wants the southerners to willfully renounce slavery because it is wrong according to the will of God saying: “It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces” and with this, he appeals to the consciences of the former southern slave owners, and to show them that banning slavery was right. (44-47). Furthermore, as stated earlier, he uses his position as president to convince the people to strive for this change, but this might also cause a rift between himself and the southerners. In order to remedy this, he references the bible which both the northerners and…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the fifth president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln appears extremely credible, and is seen as a reliable source of information. Lincoln uses ethos with in his speech to express the credibility that he truly disserves. When Lincoln recites that, "The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all", he lets the audience know that he has faith within the United States military, and that they should as well. More ethos are also seen when Lincoln mentions that "While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation." Lincoln uses words like "altogether", and "saving…without war" to again express to his audience that he is hear to help mend the nation right along side the American people, and mend it not with war, but with peace. Finally Lincoln mentions yet more ethos when he says, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nations wounds…" Lincoln uses words such as "us", and "for all" to express togetherness, focusing on…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    First of all, Lincoln exercises the literary device, antithesis, to deliver an emotional appeal. For example, he states "... as a final resting place for those who here gave their live so that a nation might live." As for, the words "gave their lives", meaning dead, and "might live", meaning still alive, contradict each other stating that in order for something to have survive, something had to die. In this particular address, in order for America, the nation, to be still standing is due to the men who died in the battlefield. That is to say, this example of antithesis reminds the people that there was blood and sacrifices in order for the nation to have survived.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gettysburg Portfolio

    • 358 Words
    • 1 Page

    The purpose of Lincoln’s speech was, not only to dedicate a plot of land to the fallen soldiers, but also to inspire his people to continue the fight.…

    • 358 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    To truly convince one’s audience to agree, one must make a connection with them. The people were there to hear a speech about the lives lost at the battle and Lincoln did just that while using emotional connections to impact the audience. This is shown in his phrase, “We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives, that the nation might live It is all together fitting and proper that we should do this.” In this phrase Lincoln addressing the lives lost and how important it is the mourn them. Lincoln understood the grief the people were feeling for their losses and affects of the war, he wanted the audience to know that he felt their grief as well. Lincoln appeals to the audience’s grief by telling them that these lives were lost for a reason, for the life of the nation. He made the audience feel that those people’s deaths did not belong to the people that killed them, but their deaths meant something to the good of the nation, that their lives and deaths were worthy. Lincoln also involves the audience in the worthiness of their lives by saying, “It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here.... That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” Lincoln puts it on the audience to continue the war so that those who had died would not have died for nothing.…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lincoln warned the South in his Inaugural Address: "In your hands, my discontent fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is that the significant issue of war. the govt won't assail you.... you've got no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the govt, whereas I shall have the foremost solemn one to preserve, defend and defend it."…

    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 865 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The civil war was still in place during that time, and when Lincoln gave his speech he went back and referred to the begging of America. He goes back and he says that war is to fight for America, to preserve its existence as a republic. He never referred to the two as the north or the south. He referred to everyone as a nation, to be one and not to be seperated. He doesn’t mention slavery or politics at all.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    He formed bonds with the soldiers and became friends with everyone he met. During the Civil War, many soldiers died and there were many ups and downs. Lincoln established lasting connections with the troops by visiting the battlefield and hospitals, which also helped bolster morale. Lincoln alps spent time talking with members of the public, taking public opinions. He held public receptions and made a point of shaking people's hand and speaking to each individual. Communicating and being humble is important to being a great leader because it demonstrates recognition and respect for others. Nobody likes being around arrogant people. Kearns Goodwin states that Lincoln had a “remarkable ability to communicate his goals to his countrymen.” He made concepts simple and communicated with an understanding of the concerns of the citizens. When Lincoln was reelected he did not focus on his achievements. Rather, in his second inaugural speech, Lincoln focused on bringing the country together. He demonstrated unity as a character trait which reflected on his actions such as the abolition of slavery and uniting the North and South during…

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays