Question

Collections Grade 11 Guiding Questions Collection 4 “Second Inaugural Address” by Abraham Lincoln Read the speech “Second Inaugural Address” by Abraham Lincoln. Then, reread the lines indicated with each question below. Answer each question, citing text evidence. If evidence is not provided, your answer is incorrect. 1. Lines 3–11: Where in the speech does Lincoln address his audience’s expectations? 2. Lines 29–34: Explain the premise that Lincoln is developing in the second paragraph. Identify specific points that help develop the premise. 3. Lines 55–60: Restate Lincoln’s call to action in your own words. What is the purpose of the speech?

Answer 1

Answer 1:

Lincoln addresses his audience's expectations in these lines of his speech:

"...These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war."

He explains how slavery lead to conflicts, which was a major cause of the Civil war between the north and south.

Answer 2:

The following lines from Lincoln's speech explain his premise:

" While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war--seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. 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"

Although both sides did not want to go to war, there was no other way to solve their conflicts, so they went to war.

Answer 3

Lincoln's call to action in his address is demonstrated in these lines:

"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".

His call to action is that he hopes to rebuild the US by restoring peace within the United States as well as between the US and other nations.

Answer 2

Answer 1:

Lincoln addresses his audience's expectations in these lines of his speech:

"...These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war."

In the above quote, Lincoln is addressing his audience's expectations by explaining how the use of slaves and slave ownership caused surprisingly heated conflict, which eventually led to the Civil war between the northern and southern parts US. Specifically, Lincoln points out that the demand for slaves and slave ownership in the northern states caused conflicts to escalate farther than expected, which led to war.

Answer 2:

In the second paragraph of his second inaugural address, Lincoln's main premise is that that despite efforts to avoid war and conflict, the opposition was not willing to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. Instead, the opposition pushed their own agendas, negotiated, and disagreed to form a peaceful resolution, which eventually led to the Civil War and created more of a divide between the north and south of the nation.

The following lines from Lincoln's speech explain his premise:

" While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war--seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. 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"

Answer 3

Lincoln's call to action in his address is demonstrated in these lines:

"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".

By the above, Lincoln states that his mission after being reelected for President is to restore peace and healing within the US after the Civil war. The main purpose of Lincoln's speech is to make sure than slavery does not spread to the north since the issue of owning slaves itself started the civil war in the first place. He hopes to rebuild the US by restoring peace within the United States as well as between the US and other nations.