Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address Leadership Dilemmas and Opportunities By Jeff Duffany Tyngsborough

The Civil War by the numbers More than 620,000 people died. 2 Percent of the population. In two days at Shiloh, more Americans fell than in all previous wars combined. Antietam was the single bloodiest day in American history: 23,000 casualties on both sides At Cold Harbor, 7,000 men fell in twenty minutes.

The Leader: Abraham Lincoln Elected in 1860 Republican Vowed to stop the spread of slavery into the territories. His election sparked the South’s secession in late 1860 and early 1861. Initially, he would wage the war to return the South to the Union.

Dilemmas Keep the Union together by bringing the South back into the United States. Eventually, after enough people had died, ending slavery. Keeping the country together through this great trial. Leading the Union through the war without losing the public’s trust.

Lincoln in 1860 and 1865 How did Lincoln age in just 5 years? What do you notice about these two pictures?

Opportunity: Gettysburg Address Gettysburg was fought on July 1, 2, 3 1863. General Lee had invaded the North. Over three days of battle, nearly 175,000 troops engaged in combat. Nearly 50,000 casualties on both sides. Turning point. Lee would be on the defensive from here on out.

Gettysburg

Gettysburg Address On November 19, 1863 Lincoln was asked to make a speech dedicating a cemetery on a portion of the battlefield. Edward Everett spoke for nearly two hours. Lincoln spoke for a little over two minutes. 15,000 people attended the dedication. Lincoln’s speech attempted to bring meaning to the war and all of the death it had brought.

Lincoln can be seen in the middle of this picture marked with an arrow Gettysburg Address Video link to Jeff Daniels reading the Gettysburg Address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4bM9geY0do Text of the speech Primary Source Circles Lincoln can be seen in the middle of this picture marked with an arrow

Primary Sources Circles Groups of 5-7 Each person is assigned a role. Team Facilitator manages the group and gives out roles. Read the document as a group and complete the roles. When finished, compile the information and be ready to present and discuss. Primary Source Circles

Important Points The speech can be seen as a halftime speech to the nation. He is trying to give meaning to the thousands of lives lost. “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Important Points cont. The men who have given their lives did so, so that this nation might live. Lincoln’s tone was one of hope and promise. Not one of despair or vengeance. He had used the opportunity presented to give meaning to the war. All of the sacrifice was for a purpose.

Opportunity: Second Inaugural Address Lincoln is re-elected in 1864. The war is coming to a close. Questions to consider: What would happen to the South and those who had fought against the Union? What of the institution of slavery? Where does the nation go from here?

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address Delivered on March 4, 1865 just a few short months before his assassination. Denounces slavery as a sin Brings further meaning to the cost of war: the death of slavery and the continuation of the Union.

Primary Sources Circles Groups of 5-7 Each person is assigned a role. Team Facilitator manages the group and gives out roles. Read the document as a group and complete the roles. When finished, compile the information and be ready to present and discuss. Primary Source Circles

Lincoln can be seen in the center of the picture delivering his Second Inaugural Address

Key excerpts “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.” “Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully.”

Key Excerpts “Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword”

Key Excerpts “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan--to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

Second Inaugural Address Lincoln uses biblical terms such as God, Divine, Bible, Prayers. He is comforting the nation. Lincoln is trying to make the wounds of war heal with his words “With Malice Toward None” The South would be forgiven. Slavery is done.

Lincoln as a Leader Kept the nation from falling apart. Lincoln took the nations pain and losses upon himself. (Remember the earlier picture.) He gave meaning to what had happened in the war. His ultimate sacrifice was his own life.

Dilemmas and Opportunities Nation is at war, torn apart. Slavery must be dealt with. Leading the nation through this monumental war. Opportunities Gettysburg Address: Make some sense of the death. Halftime speech. Second Inaugural: War is nearly over. The South must be brought back into the Union and slavery ended for good.