“The Gettysburg Address” & “Second Inaugural Address” By Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln Served as president at one of the most tragic periods in American history Fought to reunite a nation torn apart by war Most admired and respected for his courage and strength Illinois state legislature and US Congress Champion of emancipation Ran for Senate against Stephen Douglas and lost, but the debates helped him win the election of 1860 Civil War broke out Nov. of 1863 he was asked to make remarks for a national cemetery where the battlefield of Gettysburg

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln This style of speaking was greatly influenced by Greek funeral oratory..formal diction Written after 2 years (November 19, 1863) of bitter fighting, Lincoln asserts that the Civil War is a test of the ideals for which colonials fought in 1776 and he alludes to the Declaration of Independence This was an attempt to give direction to a divided country and he urged Americans to devote themselves begun by the honored dead (Gettysburg battlefield) ---to preserve freedom for all Americans “Four score and seven years…” is 87 years Refers to “birth” to relate a complex idea of war with a common experience

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln 87 years before 1863 was 1776…the year the Declaration of Independence was signed The purpose of the meeting for his speech is to dedicate a portion of the field as a final resting place (cemetery) for the soldiers PURPOSE: Lincoln’s purpose is to explain the importance of the war and to inspire people to support the country, not just what side you are on The ground is made sacred more by the men who died, rather than anything Lincoln can say or do Lincoln’s view of himself and his audience is to be humble and dedicate this ground

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln The battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, fought in July 1863 was an important Union victory and marked a TURNING POINT in the war More than 51,000 soldiers were injured in the battle, and on November 19, 1863, a military cemetery was dedicated Lincoln wanted to lead the 15,000 American citizens at the cemetery dedication through an emotional final rite of passage and gain continuing support for a bloody conflict that was far from over He added “under God” to the speech to describe the nation and suggestion of divine approval of the US and it goals freedom would have for them

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln Lincoln expresses his view of slavery and ties it to what the Founding Fathers say is our duty as American citizens He must rally the American public around the cause of winning the war Ends speech with his vision of the country of united and rebirth…national unity READ: 2nd Inaugural Address, Letter to Son

The 2nd Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln: Given March 4, 1865, about 1 month before he was killed Lincoln recalled the issues that faced the country four years earlier, acknowledged slavery as the real cause of the ongoing war, and lamented the tragedy of war He expressed hope for the end of that war and urged Americans to strive for a lasting peace The VP and President are sworn into office in an inauguration ceremony and this is the occasion of the President’s Inaugural Address The 20th Amendment to the Constitution ratified in 1933, set the terms of these offices to begin on January 20th

The 2nd Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln Lincoln gave his 1st on March 4, 1861 and his 2nd exactly 4 years later on March 4, 1865 Lincoln gives his audience credit for keeping up-to-date on the current affairs and the war effort When Lincoln was elected, the country had a population of 31 million, of which 9 million lived in the southern states Of the 9 million, 4 million were SLAVES! By the time of his 1st inauguration, 7 states had already seceded, and others were on the verge of joining them in the recently joined Confederacy

The 2nd Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln Lincoln’s diction (Lincoln’s word choice) in this address suggests his purpose to impress a national audience with the importance of his message…peace He explains the Civil War essentially as that God is punishing the United States for allowing slavery Lincoln demonstrates a solid understanding of what the country thinks and feels and his words show that he recognizes the suffering of the people, the losses they have experienced, and he appeals for divine inspiration Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theater in April 15, 1865 Lincoln uses formal diction in both speeches