Rhetorical Analysis Of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

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.

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

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.

Gunnar Olson 7/12/17 Lincoln’s second inaugural address Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address was anchored in the president’s awareness of the Union citizens’ growing anxiety about the grave causes and effects of the then Civil war conflict. In order to compel Union citizens to stay motivated towards this restoration of the Union by excusing Confederate insurgents and seeing through the necessary war, Lincoln transitions between inclusive pronouns to binary diction to capture conflicting and shared beliefs among Americans, as well as allusions to God’s religion to portray the war as repayment for the act of slavery. In his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln surprised his audience by not giving a speech regarding politics, but instead using harsh and then encouraging diction and biblical allusions to inspire Americans and show them that they need to continue to work for peace.

Abraham Lincoln's briefly persuasive speech Abraham Lincoln’s “ Second Inaugural Address,” speech to a thousand of spectators, the American people that they should unite together in order to maintain peace for the country which is on the progress to an endless war. At the beginning of Lincoln’s second time taking the office, the president was having no way to prevent the destructive war is impending in front of the eyes. Since he had no interest in abolishing the slavery when he became the 16th president of the United States. However, Lincoln still did because of the desire to accomplish his goal of urging for a national reconciliation. Lincoln support his point by using the rhetorical feature in his speech, including word choice and parallelism

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.

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

In Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address he discusses the topic of civil war and its effects on the United States. Lincoln surprised the audience with the short speech that was given just one month before the end of the Civil War. He offered his vision of the Nation’s future and tried to promote a tone of positivity and optimism. Lincoln utilizes rhetorical tools such as word choice, tone, allusions, and many forms of logos throughout his speech to convey his message of unity throughout his speech. One of the main rhetorical tools Lincoln uses throughout the speech is his word choice and corresponding tone throughout it.

The Second inaugural address delivered March 4, 1865 to put slavery to an end. Abraham Lincoln attempt to reason with the south, but the south desired to go to war with the north. Lincoln use a lot a religious belief to demonstrate how all people are the same. Also, Lincoln uses strong descriptive word such as, “...Every drop of blood drawn with the lash... the judgement of the lord, are true and righteous altogether.”

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.

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 1865 Abraham Lincoln surprised his audience with a speech on politics, slavery and states’ rights. Lincoln described his vision to the countrymen to encourage on what he thought was important. He pronounced his speech his hopes for the future of their nation and contemplated the effects of the Civil War. Lincoln uses people as an example; a lot of countrymen dreaded, despised, and tried to avert the war. The people of the north and south did not come together and the war came.

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.

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.