Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis

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President Abraham Lincoln used many rhetorical devices to explain the effects of the civil war. Lincoln wanted the north and south to put their differences behind them and unite, to become a single unified country. Many people were surprised by Lincoln’s second inaugural speech, it was shorter than his first. He didn’t take very long to get his point a crossed about how the war would make him feel. Lincoln had hope that the country would turn around. That it would unify against all evils or troubles. Lincoln believed that both sides were at fault for the start of the war, and that there was no need to have a war. Even though neither the south nor the north wanted war. They couldn’t come to an agreement over slavery. The south wanted to keep practicing slavery and to expand it to the west. “One-eighth” of the people that lived in the south were “colored slaves.” The slaves were on the side of the north and that may have been what pushed the south over the edge. From what I read in the speech I get the feeling that the south wanted slaves to do their bidding. They didn’t want to do their own work. Maybe they thought that having slaves gave them power over others, but it doesn’t. No one should be under the control of another person; every person’s life matters. The Civil War caused a wave a great sadness throughout the country. So many …show more content…

He just wanted everyone to push aside their differences, to become one again. He desired a peace without retribution. Lincoln wanted people to help the ones that lost loved ones or valuables during the war. He wants them to “care for the one” who was in the war. The one who had to take the life of another person because that was there job. To stand up to other nations you have to be one. If you are divided over every decision that is brought up then nothing will get done. Both sides of the debacle have to give a little. He knew that it would be hard to unite the country, but he had

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