Lincoln's Second Inaugural Speech By President Abe Lincoln

During his second inaugural speech, President Abe Lincoln examines the current status of the war that is dividing the nation and provides his prediction of what America will look like post-war. The first time Mr. Lincoln gave his first inaugural speech, he spoke out how the country was “anxiously” awaiting an “impending” war between the North and the South. The first inaugural speech was meant to keep the country “devoted” to keeping the Union together without war. This including the fact that the South tried to leave the Union through political means. With “high hopes” for the upcoming years, Lincoln presented his 2nd speech by inspiring unity through common beliefs. Among the civil war lie the North and the South, two parts of one country fighting to either unify or disband. The North, wanted to unify the Union, accepts the war with open arms knowing that it is the only way to save the Union. The South, wanted to disband from the North, made war knowing full well that the nation will “perish.” This information allows the President to encourage unity between the …show more content…
Not far from then, President Lincoln was assassinated. The work he did to abolish slavery was far from over since African Americans didn’t receive full rights until after the Civil Rights Movements. Today we stand united, the North and South together as one, many backgrounds and many faces. So, no matter how hard we may try to hide the scars the war left behind, we must always look back on them and learn. We must learn from the “drop[s] of blood” and the draw of the lash. Furthermore, we shall “strive” for the future, “bind” the wounded, and “cherish” the peace. “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray,” the nation will continue in the “firmness” of others. May “a just” and “lasting peace” within our Union and within our world be our highest objective, for the “scourge of war” can sink a people and its