Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address was put in the president’s awareness of the Union citizens’ developing concern about the grave causes and effects of the then warring Civil conflict. In order to push Union citizens to remain influenced towards this repair of the Union by forgiving Confederate insurgents and seeing pass the necessary war, Lincoln changes between inclusive pronouns to dual language to capture battles and shared beliefs among Americans, as well as intense statements to God’s high powers to portray the war as revenge for the sins of slavery.…
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.…
All great speeches contain ingenious rhetorical strategies. It is a great way to captivate and relate the gist of it all to the audience. In his second Inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln's purpose was to reflect on the ever-lasting Civil War and look forth to peace. His strategy is to convey his view with God as his witness. President Lincoln successfully achieves his purpose of contemplating the effects of the Civil War and offering his vision for the future of the nation, using meaningful rhetorical strategies.…
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.…
Lincoln’s tone was a bit ironic when he commented that neither side could have foresaw that the cause of the war would cease before the actual war was concluded. Lastly, in the Second Inaugural speech, Lincoln discusses God and God’s will. Lincoln talked much more about God in the Second Inaugural…
Lincoln begins his second inaugural address by creating himself as a trustworthy and humble speaker. He concedes to his audience repeatedly, sharing that he understands they do not want to listen to a lengthy self-righteous speech at this point, he cannot give them any new information, and “with high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.” By showing great understanding and sympathy for his audience, he lets them know he is on their side and will not lead them astray. If he were to predict outcomes the audience would be well aware that the war had not proceeded as any of them had predicted. Making claims such as this could make him easily lose his credibility, which would be detrimental at the beginning of his speech. Lincoln is hoping to end the war and convince his listeners to extend a nonjudgmental and forgiving hand to their Southern brethren to help reunite the country. By calming his audience and making them feel they are in trustworthy hands, he is setting them up to hear his logic and do as he wishes.…
“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.…
Lincoln’s purpose in giving his speech was to unite the Americans and to encourage them to stand together against the war and to, "… strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”…
The story is told of a union soldier who during the early days of the Civil War in America was arrested on the charges of desertion.…
Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address was about the Civil war that had just ended between the North and South, in which the former had won. Lincoln recognized that both sides did not want the war, but both had to commit to it so that their goals can be reached. He also noted that neither party could have predicted that the war would become so large and last so long. Lincoln’s purpose of his speech is to unify the North and South parties that were torn apart from this war. With what Lincoln says in his speech, he helped achieved his goal of unity for this ruined nation.…
President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address was made one month before the end of the Civil War. This speech was also his last. Throughout the speech his purpose was to reunite the North and the South.. To accomplish his purpose, he uses logical appeals, repetition and Biblical allusions.…
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.…
Government authority began to realize that saving the union became difficult as the Confederates were quick to not compromise and create their own version of the Constitution. Fortunately, Lincoln took responsibility into his hands to approach the South and tell them that their secession is the “essence of anarchy”. He also stated in his inaugural address, “You can have no conflict, without being yourselves the aggressors. 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. We must not be enemies.…
"So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth."-Baha'u'llah. In his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln sincerely suggests that all humans are more similar than assumed in order to reveal the causes of the Civil War and to italicize the fact that the nation should unite as one.…
On March 4, 1865, Lincoln presented himself to the public to deliver his speech; days before the Civil War came to the end. Lincoln’s anguish is displayed as he summarized the events that led to the Civil War. Trust was destroyed between the North and South and Lincoln was left with a nation in turmoil fighting over slavery. He reminded the people that they were one nation, not two independent nations warring against each other. He did not want to throw accusations to one side and chose to show the common qualities each side had in each time period. In doing this, he forced the people to widen their mind and consider the other side’s perspective. He did not want the sides to continue fighting and wanted to create a common ground and impacted…