Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865
Rhetorical Device: Inclusive Language
Background on the Second Inaugural
As Dickinson College Professor Matthew Pinsker notes, many view the Second Inaugural as "poetry" and "one of Lincoln's greatest speeches." It came toward the very end of a long and bitter war, a war that had lasted longer than any had imagined. It came three months after Congress had ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery. Lincoln delivered the speech from the west face of the Capitol, with a newly finished dome rising above him.
To gain some context on the speech, watch Matthew Pinsker’s 8-minute close reading, below, of the Second Inaugural.
While you are watching, on the sheet in the file below write at least four points you would like to remember from throughout the video about relations between the North and South at this time, a little over a month before the end of the Civil War.
As Dickinson College Professor Matthew Pinsker notes, many view the Second Inaugural as "poetry" and "one of Lincoln's greatest speeches." It came toward the very end of a long and bitter war, a war that had lasted longer than any had imagined. It came three months after Congress had ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery. Lincoln delivered the speech from the west face of the Capitol, with a newly finished dome rising above him.
To gain some context on the speech, watch Matthew Pinsker’s 8-minute close reading, below, of the Second Inaugural.
While you are watching, on the sheet in the file below write at least four points you would like to remember from throughout the video about relations between the North and South at this time, a little over a month before the end of the Civil War.
inclusive_language_in_the_second_inaugural.docx | |
File Size: | 74 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Lincoln's Reaching Beyond Himself
Do you ever think about how often you use "I" or "me" in your daily conversation?
Well, in this speech that Lincoln gave upon starting the second term of his presidency, "He use[d] personal pronouns only twice, I and myself, in the first paragraph, and never again" (286), according to historian Ronald C. White, Jr., in his book The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words.
Think that's impressive? It also turns out that "He never spoke of himself, did not use one personal pronoun, in the Gettysburg Address" (286).
And in this speech, the Second Inaugural, "All of his rhetoric...is directed away from himself" (286).
So, how did Lincoln do it?
Choosing Inclusive Language After Four Years of Civil War
Throughout the speech, as White observed, Lincoln repeatedly used the words BOTH and ALL to include not simply the North but the South in his remarks.
Think about how difficult it must have been to rise to the level of such inclusive language after nearly four years of civil war. As White continued, "War always elicits calls for exclusive language," language that offends the other side or leaves people out. And Lincoln was not making this inclusive choice to gain popular acclaim: "Lincoln knew the audience would have cheered him if he chose to demonize the South. But he chose a different path" (White 287).
Think about why Lincoln would have used the inclusive language of "both" and "all" (in contrast to the exclusive language of "you" and "your" that he employed in the Cooper Union speech) in this inaugural. Write a couple of sentences on your sheet and, once you've discussed them with a partner, in this Google form. Your teacher will project all the responses and put them into a word cloud generator such as Tagxedo so you can see common themes.
Listening to the Second Inaugural Address
Now, listen to the entire speech in the 5-minute video below, following along with the transcript on your sheet. Mark every both and all that you see, along with other language that you think seems inclusive.
Throughout the speech, as White observed, Lincoln repeatedly used the words BOTH and ALL to include not simply the North but the South in his remarks.
Think about how difficult it must have been to rise to the level of such inclusive language after nearly four years of civil war. As White continued, "War always elicits calls for exclusive language," language that offends the other side or leaves people out. And Lincoln was not making this inclusive choice to gain popular acclaim: "Lincoln knew the audience would have cheered him if he chose to demonize the South. But he chose a different path" (White 287).
Think about why Lincoln would have used the inclusive language of "both" and "all" (in contrast to the exclusive language of "you" and "your" that he employed in the Cooper Union speech) in this inaugural. Write a couple of sentences on your sheet and, once you've discussed them with a partner, in this Google form. Your teacher will project all the responses and put them into a word cloud generator such as Tagxedo so you can see common themes.
Listening to the Second Inaugural Address
Now, listen to the entire speech in the 5-minute video below, following along with the transcript on your sheet. Mark every both and all that you see, along with other language that you think seems inclusive.
Once you have finished listening, look at the 5 slides below to see the "boths" and "alls" from this speech in yellow.
The Impact of Lincoln's Inclusive Language
How effective do you think Lincoln's use of such inclusive language was in bringing together the North and the South at the end of the war? How would you have felt hearing this inclusive language if you were a Southerner in March 1865? A Northerner? Write some ideas on your sheet, and we will discuss.
Now, pick one sentence or part of a sentence in which Lincoln uses both, all, or another example of inclusive language. Write it on your sheet, and then explain how you think the use of these words strengthened Lincoln's meaning.
We will discuss as a class and put a slew of your ideas on the board to discover Lincoln's best arguments for inclusion and healing in this speech - which is considered by some to be almost a sermon. Keep in mind, too, that Lincoln would be assassinated one month and ten days after delivering this final inaugural message.