Final answer:
President Abraham Lincoln's speeches and actions, including his inaugural address and the Gettysburg Address, along with his Reconstruction efforts, were all aimed at unifying the nation during and after the Civil War. His intent was to heal divisions, soothe Southern fears, and quickly reintegrate the Southern states back into the Union.
Step-by-step explanation:
The speeches and actions taken by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War were fundamentally designed to unify the nation. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1861, Lincoln tried to alleviate the concerns of Southern states by assuring them that slavery would not be interfered with where it already existed, while asserting the permanency of the Union and the importance of majority rule. He also made a passionate plea for reconciliation in the hopes of restoring and maintaining the bonds between the North and South. Following this theme of unity and reconciliation, Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address and his efforts during Reconstruction focused on healing the wounds of a divided nation and setting the stage for reintegration of the Southern states into the Union. He put forward the ten percent plan offering a general pardon to most southerners, aimed at speeding up the process of rebuilding the Union.