Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address Questions

Just in case.(These are also in a google doc.)

Charlie Spinale

F period

American Studies 1: History-H

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

Section A:

3.) What do you learn from Lincoln’s address about his attitude towards the South, the apparent losers in the conflict? What do you learn from Lincoln’s address about his attitude towards the North, the apparent winners in the conflict?

Through Lincolns Inaugural Address it’s easy to see his attitude towards the South. Lincoln felt sympathy towards the South and felt that they shouldn't be blamed for the start of the war. If Lincoln had accused the South of starting the war they would have become very upset, Lincoln doesn't blame the North either. He states both parties “deprecated war” and one would make war and the other would accept it. He states that both parties tried to avoid war at all costs. “All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties’ deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.” As well as not expecting war, neither parties expected, “the magnitude, or the duration.” In conclusion I believe both parties were equal contributors to the start of the war, and Lincoln’s prevention of stating one side started the war helped restoration occur much faster.

Section C:

1.) What can you discern from Lincoln’s character on the basis of what he wrote?

Lincoln seems to be very intelligent in general and intelligent with the words he chooses to say throughout the inaugural address. Lincoln is sympathetic and forgives the South thus allowing them back into the Union. He refuses to blame the south for reparation and war itself as most did. Lincoln realized that the future of the country was more important than allowing the South to suffer. He states that the war had to happen it was eminent… “Both parties deprecated war…”  Instead of blaming a side (North and South) he let allowed them to choose their fate, “but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.” We need to realize that without Lincoln our country may have not looked the same way it does today, what if Lincoln hadn't forgiven the South? What if the South never rejoined the Union because they felt threatened because we put the cause of the war on them?  Lincoln’s idea of “Liberty to all” is shown throughout his sympathy towards the south, and allowing them to rejoin the Union they once belonged to and truly belong to. 

Section D

2.) Could a president today use the same religious rhetoric that Lincoln did to explain national policy? Was Lincoln wrong to do so?

When Lincoln made his speech in the 1800’s there wasn't much diversity in religion, the average family was Christian and worshiped the same god. Today religion is incredibly diverse, it seems as everyone is a different religion, some are Atheists, Jewish, Muslim, Jehovah Witnesses, the list goes on. With all this diversity in religion I don’t think anyone could refer to religion and get away with it. Discussing religion in this way would just create conflicts; people would be in non-stop disagreement. This bond that most Americans use to share no longer exists. The only way you could mention religion is religion itself as a whole, nothing else, this still could bring conflict. There wasn't much to compare between the North and South at the time so Lincoln used what he had, and this was religion, a bond that most Americans shared in the 1800's. Lincoln states “…So still it must be said the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether...” Lincoln used religion as a common similarity between the North and South, in the end their basically the same. “…Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God…” Although it would be impossible to refer to religion today in a speech like Lincolns, Lincoln used religion as an American bond that most Northerners and Southerners shared.