* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download A Policy of Forgiveness: Lincoln`s Second Inaugural Address The
Red River Campaign wikipedia , lookup
First Battle of Bull Run wikipedia , lookup
Anaconda Plan wikipedia , lookup
Conclusion of the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
East Tennessee bridge burnings wikipedia , lookup
Capture of New Orleans wikipedia , lookup
Virginia in the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Tennessee in the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
South Carolina in the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Alabama in the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Baltimore riot of 1861 wikipedia , lookup
Military history of African Americans in the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Battle of Fort Pillow wikipedia , lookup
Confederate privateer wikipedia , lookup
Jubal Early wikipedia , lookup
Issues of the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Georgia in the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Border states (American Civil War) wikipedia , lookup
Gettysburg Address wikipedia , lookup
Commemoration of the American Civil War on postage stamps wikipedia , lookup
Opposition to the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
United Kingdom and the American Civil War wikipedia , lookup
Hampton Roads Conference wikipedia , lookup
United States presidential election, 1860 wikipedia , lookup
U.S. History A Policy of Forgiveness: Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address The Election of 1864 While the Confederacy had the upper hand during the first couple of years of the Civil War, the tide began to turn in 1863. In July of 1863, the Union won two important victories. The Union’s victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederacy’s attempt to move the war north, helped to boost the morale of the Union. That same month, the Union also took control of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The Union’s Siege of Vicksburg helped to fulfill a major part of the Anaconda Plan. This victory gave the Union full control of the Mississippi River. In 1864, Union forces, led by General Sherman began marching from Tennessee to the Georgia Coast. The soldiers destroyed everything they came across, burning down Confederate homes& plantations, and tearing up railroad lines. Lincoln ran for reelection in 1864 (a year before the Civil War ended). Democrat and former Union General George McClellan ran against Lincoln. McClellan promised to restore peace by bringing an end to the war. Lincoln selected Andrew Johnson to be his running mate (vice president). Johnson was a Democrat from Tennessee (a Confederate state where many battles took place). Lincoln selected Johnson as a way of showing the country that he truly believed in unification. Before the Union victories in 1863 & 1864, northerners were weary of supporting Lincoln. They had anticipated a short war and an easy victory for the Union. The Union victories made had changed many voters minds. Lincoln won the election with 54% of the popular votes and the electoral votes of all but three states (the CSA did not participate in this election). Lincoln’s Hope for the Future… Weeks of wet weather preceding Lincoln's second inauguration had caused Pennsylvania Avenue to become a sea of mud and standing water. On March 4th, 1865, thousands of spectators stood in thick mud at the Capitol grounds to hear the President. As he stood on the East Portico to take the executive oath, the completed Capitol dome over the President's head was a physical reminder of the resolve of his Administration throughout the years of civil war. After taking the oath of office, Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address. Lincoln knew that the war was coming to a close (it would end nearly a month later) and he used his inaugural address as an opportunity to tell the citizens of the United States how he felt the country should go about “rebuilding” itself. Below is a transcript of that speech: At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured. On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent 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. Lincoln begins his speech by reviewing the events of the past four years. He talks about how both the North & South did not want to go to war, but the South’s decision to secede left the country with no other options. Lincoln then expresses his optimism about the Union’s chances of victory. He spends the remainder of the speech talking about the role of slavery in the conflict and how the North should treat the South once the war has ended. One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." The end of the speech contains some of the most well known words that Lincoln ever spoke. Here he specifically addresses his plan for “reconstruction.” 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. Name: Date: Core: U.S. History Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address: Reflection Questions Directions: Use the A Policy of Forgiveness: Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address handout to answer the following questions. Fact Check… 1. Which side had won many victories during the first couple of years of the war? ____________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why was the Battle of Gettysburg so important for the Union? _________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Why was the Siege of Vicksburg so important for the Union? ___________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. True or False. Most of the Confederate States participated in the presidential election of 1864. Reading Comprehension… 5. With which of the following statements do you think the author would agree? a. Lincoln would have easily won the election of 1864, regardless of the outcomes of the Battles of Gettysburg, Vicksburg & Sherman’s march on Georgia because people do not like to change their leader during times of war. b. If it hadn’t been for the Union victories at Gettysburg, Vicksburg & Sherman’s march on Georgia, Democrat George McClellan would have won the election of 1864. c. The South should have been allowed to participate in the election of 1864; this would have made it a more fair election. d. Lincoln hated the South and felt as though they should be punished for their role in the Civil War. I selected answer choice _____ because in the text it says: __________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Reader Response…With which of the following statements do you think Lincoln would most agree? a) b) c) d) The South is to blame for causing the Civil War The North is to blame for causing the Civil War Both the North and the South are to blame for causing the Civil War Great Britain is to blame for causing the Civil War I like answer choice…. Use primary source evidence from Lincoln’s second inaugural address to support your position (ATIC). _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ 4 3 2 1 Exemplary Proficient Progressing Beginning Insightful, well organized, and fluent Deep understanding of text is demonstrated Specific references to text are used to support ideas Text references are well interpreted and clearly connected to response Thoughtful, organized, and fluent Clear understanding of the text is demonstrated Relevant references to text are used to support ideas Text references are explained and connected to response Organized and somewhat fluent Basic understanding of text is displayed At least one relevant example from text is used to support ideas Text references are somewhat connected to response Disorganized or confusing Limited or no understanding of text is displayed Limited or no examples from text are used to support ideas Text reference seems irrelevant to response