After reading the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, it seems that Lincoln’s original goal of saving the Union has changed. Now, in addition to saving the Union, Lincoln wants to free the slaves thereby making the Union a model for other countries. After reading the documents, there is a perceptible shift in his rhetoric from his First Inaugural Address to his Second Inaugural Address. He now mentions nations in his speech. Lincoln’s speeches clearly show his change in stance towards his original goal by including language that intermixes his multiple goals together. Lincoln’s primary goal, as stated in a letter to Horace Greeley, was to save the Union; however, since then, his goals …show more content…
He states in The Gettysburg Address that, “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.” In this statement, he is saying that the Union is a model for the rest of the world showing how united and “dedicated” the Union is enabling the Union to prosper and survive the war. This goal can be seen in his Second Inaugural Address when he says, “…cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” This further establishes the point that Lincoln intended the Union to set a precedent for other countries to …show more content…
His primary goal of saving the Union was accomplished by announcing the Emancipation Proclamation, which sent a message of Northern assertiveness to the South and by winning the Civil War. By declaring that slavery was illegal in the rebelling states, he changed the purpose of fighting in the North from saving the Union to freeing the slaves thereby fulfilling his second goal, freeing the slaves in the rebelling states. Through this, he showed other countries what the South stood for and showed that the Union was now aligned with other countries when it came to slavery, which was his third goal, having the Union set an example for the rest of the world. His fourth goal, of creating unity in the Union was accomplished by using inclusive language in his speeches suggesting that people were greater than the states; therefore not allowing the states to secede. Therefore, through analyzing Lincoln’s speeches, one can him change his goals as the war
On March 4, 1865 in Washington, D.C., President Abraham Lincoln gave his second inauguration address to the nation. In his address to the nation he stated what he would do for the nation during his presidency and tried to prepare the nation for the end of the civil war and slavery. President Lincoln used figurative language, allusion, parallel structure, logos and pathos to express his theme that both sides are at fault and need to come together as one. Lincoln uses the rhetorical appeals pathos and logos during his second inauguration speech.
When President Lincoln was first elected, he was put in a difficult situation. Multiple states were in the stages, or already began seceding from the Union. They used the claim of “state rights” and tariffs to disguise their true intentions; to expand and protect the institution of slavery. Shortly after Lincoln was first inaugurated, the Civil War broke up, bringing neighbors against neighbors, friends against friends and families against families. Near the end of one of the bloodiest wars in the history of the country, Lincoln was elected for a second time.
During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency at the start of the 1860, an issue that had divided the nation was slavery. Lincoln’s election to presidency as a republic was not received well by the Southern slave states, as they thought that as a republican he was out to abolish slavery. In an effort to calm southern states and keep them from seceding from the United States, he attempts to ease them with his First Inaugural Address. In his First Inaugural Address his key points are to clam southern leaders of slave states, keep the states from seceding, and make them at ease as he enters presidency.
The parallel structure underlined what his objectives were for the country. For instance, he says, "to bind up the nation's wounds...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. " Lincoln's main objective was to try to leave the Civil War in the past, so they could build a promising future together as a nation. Another case of allusion was toward the start of the address when Lincoln stated, “All dreaded it, all sought to avert it.” He said “all” referring to both the North and South so they could stop fighting and work together to build a stronger
This speech that he gave was critical to not only the war, but also the whole future that followed, therefore with this in mind Lincoln made thorough use of rhetoric when and where he could in his speech. The speech starts with “Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (Lincoln, 1), a rather simple single sentence which sets up the whole exposition for the speech. This sentence does not make much use of rhetoric because of its simplicity, it is easy for all to understand which may have helped Lincoln win favor of the slaves in the South further advancing the Union’s agenda. Yet with the lack of use of rhetoric, Lincoln was able to get across the foundations of his tone and establish the mood. Both the Union and the Confederacy
Now his goal of freedom has been achieved but his goal for a United Nation I’m not really sure about. That brings me to my next paragraph which is that some people may say that our country is a United Nation and that all of Lincoln’s goals were met. That’s not really true because of how divided the U.S is on everything. Our country today fights over a lot whether it be politics, or celebrities, or even pineapple on pizza. Look at our president he is probably the most controversial president ever and no one who supports can get along with the people who don’t and vice versa.
I originally forgot to consider the European power factor in his timing and urgency, and do agree it was a strong factor in his timing. I believe more influential were the internal factors of keeping the union bonded together and not polarizing the issue that was already so much a point of contention among the Union and border states. Also I strongly agree that Lincoln was a genius in placing clear motivational distinction between the Union and Confederate, by making the North for freedom and the South against it. He intentionally made the divide bigger to motivate the Union to continue in a long war.
In the speech known as the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln talks about the purpose of the war, and he encourages the listeners that it is a noble cause. Towards the beginning of the speech, Lincoln proclaims, “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure” (747). This is where Lincoln defines his cause. By stating the war’s purpose, Lincoln brings his listeners to the same starting thought. When he says, “any nation so conceived and so dedicated,” Lincoln is referring to his previous statement about America being founded on liberty and equality.
He doesn’t want to dwell on the future, but work on the present. He wants to conduct change and orchestrate harmony among the states. Also, especially, from paragraph 2, Abraham Lincoln starts using the pronoun “all” and, different forms of it, more often to highlight the inclusiveness of the aggregation, North & South, and to make everyone, including himself, on equal ground. This is to bring a sense of unity and appeal to reason. By bringing a sense of unity, he tries to achieve peace and ease in the tension.
The language Lincoln used was not only perfect to the American people, but it was also dictated perfectly. Throughout this selection of speech, Lincoln reaffirms his love for his country and his lasting desire to preserve it and unite it. However, his compassion and love are what wins the American’s over. Lincoln uses that compassion for his country to derail the issue of going to a Civil War. Lincoln does not use a plan of action in this selection of speech, her rather uses his language skills and reminds the American people of the problems that American will face if we have a Civil War.
The defining point in his speech is the quote that was stated in the first paragraph of this essay. Lincoln is upholding the rights and constitution of the
President Abraham Lincoln uses a variety of rhetorical strategies in his Second Inaugural Address to pose an argument to the American people regarding the division in the country between the northern states and the southern states. Lincoln gives this address during the American Civil War, when politics were highly debated and there was a lot of disagreement. Lincoln calls for the people of America to overcome their differences to reunite as one whole nation once more. Lincoln begins his Second Inaugural Address by discussing the American Civil War and its ramifications.
Lincoln urges the people to “strive on to finish the work we are in,” “to bind up the nation's wounds,” he is trying to get the United Sate Citizens to become one again to unite and be one strong country, showing that even after a huge war that the country can remain strong and unified and that this war will allow for a strong brotherhood in the US. Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address is significant because Lincoln offered and objective point of view. Lincoln did not speak of the unloyalty of the South nor did he praise the North. Rather, Lincoln used multiple points to show that the Unification should be the main focus of his speech not that the states should be divided because of
Abraham Lincoln in the speech, The Gettysburg Address, constructs a point of achieving a "just and lasting peace" between the North and South without retribution. Lincoln supports his assertion by justifying his beliefs of unity between the states. Lincoln's purpose is to influence the people to not allow what has been done to go to waste. He wants his audience to realize that this division will only persist if no one settles the current issues in society. Lincoln speaks in a sympathizing, determined tone to address the Americans who are mourning the loss of their loved ones and to the rest of Americans who he wants to see a change from.
Abraham Lincoln is widely known as one of the most influential and respected presidents in history. He was an inspiration to generations of Americans. He was a hero to anyone who fought against slavery during the civil war. Lincoln was an extraordinary president known for successfully abolishing slavery during the Civil War as well as playing a major role in the passing of the thirteenth amendment after the Civil War; stating "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime" ratified December 6, 1865. His superior leadship qualities propelled him not only as a person but inspired ideas for pushing the nation forward in ways never thought of before.