Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Content Warning: The source material and this guide reference the enslavement of Black Americans and the associated racism and prejudice.

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address takes place as the Civil War comes to an end. The Second Inaugural Address opens by referring to the inaugural address from Lincoln’s first presidential term, just before the war began, and also assumes the listener understands the history and severity of the war that is finally reaching a conclusion. This historical context is necessary to fully understand Lincoln’s position and viewpoints during his second address, as Lincoln doesn’t spend time dwelling on the details of the traumatic and mutual experience the Union and Confederate states had recently endured.

The first election of Lincoln sparked this initial conflict, leading to the secession of 11 Southern states in 1860. These states declared themselves a new nation: the Confederate States of America. This division set the stage for the Civil War, which began on April 12, 1861, and lasted until April 9, 1865. The Union, made up of the states that remained part of the United States, fought to preserve the nation and end slavery, while the Confederacy sought to establish an independent nation to maintain the institution of slavery. Most people expected the war to end quickly with few casualties, but it soon became clear that peace would not come easily. As the war progressed, it became not only a military conflict but also a significant social and political battle that would determine the future of the nation’s core values. This transformation was evident in the shifting goals of the war, from merely preserving the Union to fundamentally altering the nation’s approach to civil rights and liberties.

Lincoln’s re-election in November 1864 occurred in the midst of the war. Lincoln faced war hero George B. McClellan, a Democrat. The Democratic Party was split between War Democrats and Peace Democrats, also known as Copperheads. War Democrats supported the restoration of the Union and a continuation of the war, while the Copperheads called for peace at all costs. This would mean giving some concessions to the Confederacy, including allowing them to remain separate from the Union. McClellan represented the Copperheads, but the split in the party led to the War Democrats forming a coalition with the Republicans. Though at first, Lincoln’s prospects looked grim, Union victories in the war led to favorable public sentiment and the desire for stability in leadership. Lincoln won in a landslide, though none of the Confederate states participated in the election. Lincoln’s victory signaled strong public support for seeing the war through to a successful conclusion. This support gave Lincoln the political backing needed to pursue his vision for the country’s reunification and the abolition of slavery.

By early 1865, significant military victories for the Union, such as General William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea, had severely weakened the Confederate forces and their capacity to continue the war. These successes signaled the imminent end of the conflict and the Union’s victory, setting the stage for Lincoln’s address amidst a climate of cautious optimism for the war’s end and the daunting task of rebuilding the nation.

Lincoln anticipated the challenges of Reconstruction, advocating for a lenient approach toward the defeated South. His plan for Reconstruction proposed that a seceded state could be readmitted into the Union once 10% of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the Union and accepted the emancipation of formerly enslaved Americans. This policy was designed to simplify the process of readmission for the Confederate states and expedite the healing of the nation’s wounds. Lincoln hoped that by setting the threshold relatively low, he would encourage rapid reintegration of the seceded states and promote a spirit of forgiveness and unity.