Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis

722 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analyzing lincolns second inaugural address

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

Show More
Related

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

    767 Words  | 2 Pages

    On March 4th, 1865, the Civil War was drawing to an end and Abraham Lincoln gave his Second Inaugural Address to become the President of the United States for the second time. At this point it was clear that the North was to win the war. Instead of boasting and bragging about his victory, Lincoln took a different route in his speech. He focused instead on putting the war behind the nation and reunifying the country. In this famous speech, he used various forms of rhetoric and literary devices to achieve this goal. He first employs the use of God to appeal to the pathos in the people of the North and South. The overall tone of the speech is also one of unification rather than that of celebration. Going with this is his word choice or diction; he continuously addresses the country as one instead of two split parts. These literary devices are crucial to the success of his core purpose of speech.

    Read More

  • Lincoln-Douglas Debate

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln's position on slavery was the belief that the expansion of it to Free states and new territories should be ceased and that it eventually be abolished completely throughout the country. He believed simply that slavery was morally wrong, along with socially and politically wrong in the eyes of a Republican. Lincoln felt that this was a very important issue during the time period because there was starting to be much controversy between the Republicans and the Democrats regarding this issue. There was also a separation between the north and the south in the union, the north harboring the Free states and the south harboring the slave states. Lincoln refers many times to the Constitution and its relations to slavery. He was convinced that when our founding fathers wrote the Constitution their intentions were to be quite vague surrounding the topic of slavery and African-Americans, for the reason that he believes was because the fathers intended for slavery to come to an end in the distant future, in which Lincoln refers to the "ultimate extinction" of slavery. He also states that the men who wrote the constitution were wiser men, but obviously did not have the experience or technological advances that the men of his day did, hence the reasons of the measures taken by our founding fathers.

    Read More

  • Why Did Reconstruction Fail?

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    After the war, President Abraham Lincoln’s main goal was to reunite the nation, restore, and heal the wounds that the aftermath of the Civil war had left behind. Many northerners were against the proposal that he made, to just let the south come back as they pleased because they thought it was unfair to not receive any kind of punishment for le...

    Read More

  • Abraham Lincoln's Speech: An Analysis Of The Gettysburg Address

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    On November 19th, about seven score and twelve years ago, President Abraham Lincoln gave a monumental speech known as the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln’s address was comprised of two-hundred and seventy-two words which were separated by ten forms of various punctuation and lasted a mere two minutes. However, although short, the speech was particularly concise, and is still resonating in the classrooms of High School and College campuses. In fact, Edward Everett also gave a speech that day over the same subject, and he is quoted saying, “I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes.”

    Read More

  • Gettysburg Address Rhetorical Analysis

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    Four and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. He gave the Union soldiers a new perspective on the war and a reason to fight in the Civil War. Before the address, the Civil War was based on states’ rights. Lincoln’s speech has the essence of America and the ideals that were instilled in the Declaration of Independence by the Founders. The sixteenth president of the United States was capable of using his speech to turn a war on states’ rights to a war on slavery and upholding the principles that America was founded upon. By turning the Civil War into a war about slavery he effortlessly ensured that no foreign country would recognize the South as an independent nation, ensuring Union success in the war. In his speech, Lincoln used the rhetorical devices of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism, to touch the hearts of its listeners.

    Read More

  • Death In The Civil War Essay

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    But in reality that was just an excuse to real cause, the abolishment of slavery. The southern states didn’t want to have their slaves taken away and Lincoln told them that they could retain their slaves, if they were to join back into the Union. Slavery was the fundamental for the Civil War, it made soldiers become “hard,” numb, and “calloused” or indifferent to others deaths in prospect of their own death. Slavery was mostly killing, which was the essence of the

    Read More

  • Jfk Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis

    143 Words  | 1 Pages

    If anyone ever tells you that speeches does not make a difference, point them at JFK's Inaugural Address. Throughout his speech, President Kennedy uses several techniques to gain the trust of his audience. Nevertheless, the purpose of his speech was to inspire and not necessarily educate; However, Kennedy effectively used emotional language to make his audience feel included in his goals as President When he discussed previous leaders, Kennedy used a source of element to emphasise his opinion by stating, “But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom, and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside, (Language Awareness 283).” This implies that

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

    792 Words  | 2 Pages

    On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural speech. Abraham Lincoln begins by addressing the nation on the ongoing civil war and his hopes on the nation uniting as a country again. Lincoln tells them “ The progress of our arms upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself; and it its, “ Lincoln is saying that he is equal to the public and that he has also felt the wars effect. I think the main reason why this speech was written was to start reconstruction. Since the Civil War just ended, now is the time to start reconstruction. Later on, Lincoln starts talking about the North and South. It says,“ Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nations survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish.” It means that the North and South weren’t planning on war but because of wanting to save their nation, they sacrificed themselves and started a war. Lincoln then states, “ To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the union, even by war; while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. He is saying that the war happened not because of the issue of owning slavery but because of the expansion of slavery.

    Read More

  • Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address Summary

    410 Words  | 1 Pages

    Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address was much more unique than the other president’s since he only used ‘I’ one time. The address was delivered on March 4, 1865 in Washington D.C. and only spoke 701 words. People were undoubtedly expecting it to be long, tedious, and mostly about Lincoln himself and what he is going to do for the next few years. Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is so noteworthy because he defined the expectations of a typical inaugural speech.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

    461 Words  | 1 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln spoke with confidence and inspiration in his second inaugural address because he was seeking for reconciliation, he acted as if everyone wanting to save the union was on the same side. Keeping in mind the end goal to attempt and adjust for the transgression of bondage. However, Lincoln’s form of expression, rhetorical devices, and organization offered him assistance with convincing the group of onlookers that the countries fate was still brilliant.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Inaugural Address

    994 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1960, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gained the nomination for the democratic party to run against Richard Nixon of the Republican party. Kennedy defeated Nixon in the 1960 election and become the 35 President of the United States. Kennedy was the youngest elected President of the United States history, he was 43 years old when he became President. On January 20, 1961; 55 years ago, President John F. Kennedy gave his Inaugural address in Washington D.C. This speech became one of the most famous speeches given by a president, up with the likes of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address, as well as Ronald Reagan's Brandenburg Gate Speech. Some of the reasons why President Kennedy’s

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Inaugural Address

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his inaugural address to the American people, (January 20, 1961) John F. Kennedy urges Americans to take it upon themselves to create peace in a changing world. President Kennedy illustrates his willingness to work with other countries by assuring Americans that he is not afraid to take the steps necessary for peace. He also asks rhetorical questions about the unknown to encourage a global exploration in the fields of science and technology. In his speech, Kennedy addresses his worldwide audience in a confident tone to give them the confidence they need to create peace and unity.

    Read More

  • Abraham Lincoln The Great Emancipator Research Paper

    307 Words  | 1 Pages

    To begin with, Lincoln's priority was not to free all of the slaves of America. His priority was to keep the union alive. He didn't believe in racial equality, as he said to a group of free African Americans who visited the White House, “not a single man of your race is made the equal of a single man of ours. Go where you are treated the best...." The reason Lincoln

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis Of Success Is Counted Sweetest

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    As Lloyd F. Bitzer so famously stated, “rhetoric applies to contingent and probably matters which are subjects of actual or possible disagreement by serious people, and which permit alternative beliefs, values, and positions.” Slavery was undeniably a major disagreement between the people of the United States to the point where there was a Civil War as a direct result. The North and the South had different “beliefs, values, and positions” regarding slavery, which Lincoln focused on in his Address. At that time, Lincoln knew that slavery was immoral and should be abolished accordingly. He worked up until the very day that he died to ensure that there would be equality and freedom in the United States.

    Read More

  • Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address Essay

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    The reason that he does this is not to make the audience forget the war, but to establish a vision of prosperity, something that the audience can strive to work towards each and every day. By comparing the nation to an injured animal, Lincoln states that the Civil War will eventually fade into a scar, a scar that will serve as a reminder that freedom is not free and that the past must never be forgotten. The continuous use of God throughout his final paragraphs suggest that only God is the one who can determine reason from wrong, and that God has the final say on the duration and effect of the war. The entirety of this speech is also viewed as a warning to the audience, a warning that shows just how weak humanity really is. Lincoln’s primary message is that of sadness with small amounts of hope. Instead of using condemning language he uses words like “cherish”, “achieve”, “strive”, and “peace” to show that he also forgives those who were for slavery. He establishes hope in the audience by using pathological imagery of a “widow and his orphan’” stating that those who gave their lives, for the right reason, died for the future of the country, a future that was greater than their own

    Read More

More about Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis

Open Document