Second Inaugural Address Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the United States of America Lincoln led the United States through its Civil War Abolished slavery

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND March 4, 1865, during his second inauguration as President of the United States. At a time when victory over the secessionists in the American Civil War was within days, and slavery was near an end. He reminded his listeners that the issue of slavery had been central to the Civil War and suggested that slavery had offended God and brought forth divine retribution in the form of the conflict. Now, with peace at hand, he urged a national reconciliation. This was written 1 month before the victory of the secessionists in the America Civil War and slavery was near an end.

Summary The purpose of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address was to state that slavery was the key component that led to the Civil War and he stated that it was possible that slavery had offended God and he retaliated by causing conflict which started the war. He said that since there was now peace, they should take advantage of that and begin a time of reconciliation where there was malice towards no one and charity for everyone.

RELEVANCE This text is important because Abraham Lincoln did it in times in which people like him was necessary in the country to stop all the problems that were going on in that time. Also this text is part of the History of our country because it helped to stop all the slavery issues and problems in the Civil War.

LITERARY DEVICES “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..” Personification “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right.” Anaphora “Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God.” Allusion