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Lincoln's Inaugural Address Analysis

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The United States was at war with themselves and its people were in a battle between their ears. The citizens of the United States needed inspiration to trudge through the Civil War and ultimately needed to be encouraged to reunite as a whole. Inspiration most often comes from leaders and those who are looked up to- at this time, Abraham Lincoln was the biggest leader in the nation’s eyes. Lincoln, in preparation for his second presidency, delivered an Inaugural Address carrying views along with thoughts expected by none. The citizens of the United States were prepared to hear his views on politics, abolishing slavery and overall states’ rights. Instead of confirming these predictions, President Lincoln shared his thoughts on the Civil War and how the country would be changed from it while also incorporating his aspirations of unification. Although the citizen’s thoughts were concentrated of war, Lincoln’s powerful words awed the minds of listeners and captured the ears of his people …show more content…

He was not a supporter of slavery and believed it was an offense toward God rather than a sin- as slavery was never directly stated as one in the Bible. He believed that God “gave both North and South this terrible war” (57). He also believed that slavery was the cause and the effect of the Civil War. Despite the fact that Lincoln believed it, slavery cannot be pinned down as the direct cause of the Civil War. He did not let his personal view however, come through to the audience within his tone. His tone was one of reflecting and remembering the suffering in which each half has endured. Wanting to encourage the people to look past the hatred and disgust, he portrayed a tone of optimism- which promoted the overall purpose of his speech. The purpose being to bring back together the North and South, in effect abolishing

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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.

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In his Second Inaugural Address speech by Abraham Lincoln, incorporates biblical references and compares the North and South in order to bring them together and unite the country. Lincoln indirectly questions the ethics behind owning slaves by referring to the bible and reveals the South using God as an excuse for racism. Quoting the bible, Lincoln concludes that “He now wills to remove” implying that God wishes to abolish slavery. The former president convoys God to have “his own purposes” suggesting to leave the war in God's hands.

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President Lincoln stated that: “if I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it,..., and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would do it.”. This quote clearly shows that the freedom of slaves was not his concern and unnecessary if it did not help the Union; as the result, slavery still exists if there is no war. Free slave from bondage should be a Great Emancipator’s primary goal and he will do his best to achieve it no matter what, but president Lincoln’s thought differed from that because all he cares was the Union. Although he had many times admitting himself an anti-slavery but his words and thoughts obviously prove that he is

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