Lincoln's First Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis

Superior Essays
From a broad perspective, Lincoln tenaciously embraced the notion of suppressing conflicts from erupting between the North and South alike. Venturing deeper into the specifics, he additionally elucidated upon how conflict would most definitely not break out, unless the South fostered its development. Evidence from the text that further bolsters this claim is shown when the authors state, “Lincoln’s inaugural address was firm yet conciliatory: there would be no conflict unless the South provoked it. Secession, the president declared, was wholly impractical because ‘physically speaking, we cannot separate’” (Cohen & Kennedy 421). The quote above sheds light upon how secession was ultimately deemed “unproductive” by Lincoln. This, in turn, reveals the president’s conspicuous desire to bar the further exacerbation of the looming issue of secession. In brief, two major standpoints comprise Lincoln’s stand on his first inaugural address on March 4, 1861.

Generally-speaking, the posed quotation illustrates how the North and South alike, though embracing diverging standpoints, were constantly united with one another, from a geographical standpoint. In further elaboration upon this reality, noteworthy landforms, whether it be Mississippi River or Appalachian Mountains, failed to geographically divide the localities, hence the reason why Lincoln regarded the North and South as “Siamese twins, bound inseparably together”. Evidence from the text that further bolsters this claim is shown when the authors state, “If they [North and South] had been divided by the Pyrenees or Danube River, a sectional divorce might have been more feasible. But the Appalachian Mountains and the mighty Mississippi River both ran the wrong way” (Cohen & Kennedy 421). The quote above exemplifies an inevitable relationship that existed between the North and South alike, in that they remained geographically bound to one another. To add to this, it additionally reflects upon a key reason, as to why Lincoln commonly regarded the act of secession as outrightly unproductive. In brief, it can most definitely be stated that Lincoln’s assertion was laden with a large array of veritable sentiments. From a broad perspective, the numerous issues that could have potentially complemented uncontested secession entailed the South’s share of debt, the allotment of federal territories to the Confederate States of America, and the resolution of the fugitive-slave law, among others. Evidence from the text that further bolsters this claim is shown when the authors state, “What share of the national debt should the South be forced to take with it? What portion of the jointly held federal territories, if any, should the Confederate states be allotted? How would the fugitive-slave issue be resolved? Was it conceivable that all such problems could have been solved without ugly armed clashes?” (Cohen & Kennedy 421). The quote above depicts the thought-provoking questions that surrounded the act of secession. To add to this, such a conspicuous degree of uncertainty furthermore stirred the North’s opposition to the South’s threatening withdrawal from the Union. In brief, a large array of repercussions would be yielded, thanks to uncontested secession. Generally-speaking, Lincoln rather ingeniously handled the problem with Fort Sumter by outrightly declaring that he would dispatch an expedition, in order to “provision”, though not “reinforce”, the fort. In further elaboration upon this reality, the South warily suspected that the region was potentially a victim of the North’s act of chicanery. Evidence from the text that further bulwarks this claim is shown when the authors state, “On April 12, 1861, the cannon
…show more content…
Evidence from the text that further bolsters this claim is shown when the authors state, “Lincoln promptly issued a call to the states for seventy-five thousand militiamen, and volunteers sprang to the colors in such enthusiastic numbers that many were turned away-a mistake that was not often repeated” (Cohen & Kennedy 423). The quote above reflects upon the sprightly, jaunty eagerness that thrived among the northerners, upon the rendered opportunity of engaging in combat against the South. Further complementing this posed notion, the large influx of volunteers furthermore reveals the primary reason behind why several individuals were altogether denied entry into the army. In brief, an exuberant response captures the essence of Lincoln’s offer to enlist in the Union

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    He was definitely correct about that. The war had been long and difficult and both sides had been hit pretty hard. Lincoln uses references to the bible throughout his speech, and that is something that both the North and South could relate to. He is able to take advantage of pathos and draw the two sides together with a sacred text that both sides revere, but without making it sound like God had taken sides “Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. “ He has achieved his purpose of building…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    He frequently uses one technique in particular, juxtaposition, to do so. For example, he stated, ”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” (lines 24-27). One side is intent on starting war to get their way, no matter the impact on the nation, while the other side only accepts war in order to save it. This contrast between the North and South showed the audience just how dramatic the violent division in the United States had become. Lincoln also used many other syntactical elements to reunite the country.…

    • 1421 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Lincoln was part of the Republican party, who publicly advocated against slavery, and his win in the election brought fear from the South to fruition. The divide was clear between the North and South, and the only thing for Southerners to do is implement it, through secession. Secession was imminent but they didn’t…

    • 331 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nathaniel Bryce said. “Well Grant and Lincoln are for the Union side unlike myself and Robert E. Lee. We are for the confederate side.” Jefferson…

    • 504 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Now these states had seceded from the Union and was beginning to create the Confederate states of America. But Lincoln was not about to give up that easy. He was not going to allow them to secede because of four reasons. One; physically the states could not separate. Meaning that even if they did secede then they still would be connected to the north and vise-versa.…

    • 310 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Although Confederate forces had already seized federal forts and arsenals in the South, Lincoln promised only to “hold” remaining federal property in the South. But he suggested that the southern states risked “civil…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While the other party (the North) “would ‘accept’ war then let it perish,” (Line 18-19) and then this is when and why the war happened. Lincoln has very wise words for talking about how the Civil War should end and he gave many effective reasons too. (Even if the address was not that long, he still had very good choice of words and did not really care about what he said. He just said what had to be…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Lincoln’s view of the matter summarized the sentiment of the abolitionist states of the Union and the federal government that secession was illegal and nothing more or less than a rebellion and treason. I agree with their interpretation of the founding documents as vehicles of declaration of nationhood for all practical purposes for perpetuity and without any intent of ever dissolving this new union (nation) of states or providing a legal process for such action in the future. By Lincoln’s words from his Inaugural Address: “Perpetuity is implied, if not expressed in the fundamental law of all national governments” (7). He further did not believe the United States could be “peaceably unmade by less than all the parties who made it.” The Articles…

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1860 Election Dbq

    • 825 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Talk of secession had always been discussed since the 1830s but after Lincoln took office it started to take on a more serious tone. Although the Civil War wasn’t directly caused by Lincoln’s election the election was considered one of the primary reasons the war broke out the next year. Lincoln’s choice to take up arms rather than to let the Southern states secede was not in any way related to his feelings towards slavery. Lincoln felt that it was his obligation as President to save the Union no matter what the circumstances were. His first introductory address was an earnest request to the states that had choose to rebel, seven of which had already seceded, to return to the nation.…

    • 825 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Civil War Dbq

    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages

    His approach towards the South in terms of being too lenient with them was evident when, “President Lincoln had authorized loyalist governments in Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee as the Union came to control large parts of those states and advocated a ten percent plan that would allow elections after ten percent of the voters in any state took an oath of future loyalty to the Union,” (Fitzgerald). For many members in Congress, this was considered as too lenient and it did not warrant all voters in rebellion states to take an oath of allegiance to the Union. From this inception, we can speculate that the future political moves of the country would come at the expense of not properly insuring the protection and freedoms of formerly enslaved African Americans in the South. It also comes to no surprise that some historians have deemed the Reconstruction era as a “shameful period in American history.” Stammp states that, “various historians have called this phase of American history ‘The Tragic Era,’ ‘The Dreadful Decade,’ and the ‘Blackout of Honest Government,” (p. 4).…

    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The year 1865 was a tumultuous time for America and politically for Abraham Lincoln. The Civil War, a loss of so many American lives, was coming to an end, but at an incredible cost. The U.S. Congress approved the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery. However, this act caused the assassination of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth after the end of the war on April 14, 1865. In May, the remaining Confederate forces surrendered.…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Founding Fathers Problems

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “Should a popular insurrection happen in one of the confederate states, the others are able to quell it.” (Page…

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Gettysburg address delivered on November 19, 1863 by Abraham Lincoln was a dedication speech to the brave men and women who fought in the Gettysburg battle. After three revisions, and hours of work, one of the most influential presidents in history delivered an articulately written speech. A speech that has gone down in history as an eloquent example of the rhetorical devices. The execution of the rhetorical triangle, by the President, created a connection amongst the audience and the speaker.…

    • 1045 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It seems as if Lincoln is mentally exhausted from the Civil War and just wants to move on and become one nation again. This quote also shows his purpose, which is to encourage the reconciliation of the north and south. In order to achieve his purpose, Lincoln uses some of the same rhetorical devices that he used in…

    • 1038 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    The American public saw the storm of war on the horizon, but had no idea regarding the magnitude of what would come, a sentiment expressed by Lincoln when he said, “...all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it.” This excerpt from Lincoln’s address shows the President reflecting on his thoughts four years prior, thoughts that rang true with those of the masses. While Lincoln stays true to his theme of unity throughout his address, there is a hint of a condescending tone throughout his speech that is aimed at the Confederacy. Lincoln states,…

    • 1544 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays