Lincoln's Legacy
Ford's Theater Questions:
1. How did the Civil War make Washington DC a true center of political power?
2. How did Lincoln lay the groundwork for Reconstruction in his Second Inaugural Address?
3. Was Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address the final spark that lit the fuse of the conspiracy to assassinate him?
In President Lincoln's second Inaugural address he tried to reaffirm his position as the President of the entire United States by trying to preach forgiveness to the rebelling states. It would be better to do this rather than rule with an iron fist. After all, Lincoln did state in his Gettysburg Address that we are fighting the Civil War to preserve Democracy. His "Malice for none..." statement in his 2nd Inaugural address laid the ground work for Reconstruction, but unfortuantly Lincoln was never able to see the final product. I wonder how reconstruction would have changed under the leadership of Lincoln and his ability to work with Congress
ReplyDelete#3- Lincoln's second Inaugural address was not the final spark that set off the large conspiracy which included his being assassinated. This plan, which had J. W. Booth at its center, was larger than Lincoln. It was about overthrowing a government which Booth and his co-conspirators saw as tyrannical and self-serving. I believe that they would have attempted to carry out this plan notwithstanding Lincoln's speech. After all in this address Lincoln essentially speaks about how the country has to move forward with "charity for all, and malice towards none."
ReplyDeleteLincoln laid the groundwork for reconstruction in his second inaugural address with carefully constructed language. It was important for him to show that he was still President of all the states. If he acknowledged that he was temporarily not the legal leader of the South, that would tacitly give support to the idea that the South were independent and free from the Constitution and that violence against the federal government might in some cases be acceptable. He reinforced this idea while at the same time showing that neither side was perfect and that both were guilty of crimes against humanity that only God was fit to judge.
ReplyDeleteIn Lincoln’s second inaugural address, he laid the groundwork for Reconstruction. While he did not outright state any specifics of a plan, his overall policy idea was clear. The language of his speech was intended to reassure the South that he would not seek to punish them, while at the same time encouraging the North to look within and to proceed without bitterness or malice. He was clear that all needed to work together in an effort to heal the country.
ReplyDelete# 2. The second inaugural address was one of the best political speeches ever; Lincoln walks a fine line between all the different interests in both the north and south. In it he calls for forgiveness and reconciliation. His plan, had he survived, possibly could have brought the two previous warring sides together in a more reasonable fashion than the reality of Radical reconstruction with its bitter partisan battles between Congress and Johnson as well as the former Confederates."With malice towards none and charity to all" was a very powerful sentiment, and this policy of forgiveness while difficult, was a policy that a master politician such as Lincoln could have enacted!What a shame that his noble vision was never seen to fruition; Johnson was a poor choice to follow a truly great leader!
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2-
ReplyDeleteDuring Lincoln's second inaugural address, he clearly states his vision or the country moving passed the Civil War. When he spoke of "Malice towards none", he was setting a tone of how he viewed reconstruction. Throughout the speech he never directly blames the Confederacy for the war and casts equal blame to the North. He used biblical references about moving forward. Lincoln also mentions about binding up the Nations wounds and moving together as one country.
Question #2
ReplyDeleteLincoln clearly lays the groundwork for Reconstruction during his second inaugural address. Using his unique writing ability, he very carefully reminds the country of the causes of the war while setting the stage for a future that includes forgiveness. Lincoln was able to speak to the needs of both sides without alienating either. He was the perfect president for the time.
Question #3
ReplyDeleteI believe Lincoln's assassination plot was fully planned on the day he spoke on the steps of the White House (3 days before the assassination). When he spoke to the crowd and announced that he expected all African Americans who fought on the side of the Union would be given the the right to vote. This was the final straw. There are eyewitness accounts that verify Booth's declaration that "this is the last speech he will ever give." Three days later the president was shot.
Question 3 – Though most rational beings would view the Second Inaugural Address as an appeal for North and South to come together and move forward, it probably was this incident six weeks before the event, that put John Wilkes Booth and his band of assassins over the top. Lincoln told the South in no uncertain terms that their withdrawal from the Union was illegal and that the institution of slavery was an offense, odious to God and all good men. So though overall the message was conciliatory, Booth only heard that what he had held near and dear were to never be again. Only complete destruction of the Northern leadership would allow the South to rise and the war to resume. For me, it was positively creepy to see Booth in the photograph taken at the Second Inauguration. I can just imagine him burning up as he heard the “tyrant” speaking and becoming more convinced about what he as the Confederacy’s savior needed to do. According to some historians, Booth may have felt guilty about not actually taking up arms during the conflict and may have sought to redeem himself by leading the assassination of the nation’s leaders and reinvigorating the South’s war effort. When Lincoln spoke again three days before his death, he went even further in proclaiming that all men regardless of color should have the right to vote. This must have been too much for Booth and by that time the plot already formulated was well on its way to completion.
ReplyDelete#2. With the war nearing its end, Lincoln very carefully crafted his second inaugural address. Lincoln’s objective from the beginning of the war, was preservation of the Union. With that in mind, his goal was to bring a war weary nation back together. Both sides, Lincoln wrote, were essentially responsible for the war, and both sides are responsible for rebuilding the nation. Lincoln wrote in the last paragraph, ‘With malice toward none, with charity for all’ This is the center piece of Lincoln’s reconstruction effort. It is a phrase that strikes t the heart of reconciliation
ReplyDeleteLincoln now has the daunting task of reconstructing the devastated south. In his Second Inaugural Address he surely brings attention to the fact that it is not going to be a witch hunt for the turncoats but a movement of healing and forgiveness. Lincoln understood that the best plan for reconstruction was going to be one of leniency and mercifulness towards the south and knew that many radicals were hanging on his every word during his speech, so even though he laid the groundwork for reconstruction he did not give any specifics to please the populous.
ReplyDelete1. How did the Civil War make Washington DC a true center of political power?
ReplyDeletePolitics is the process whereby a society collectively makes decisions. We kept hearing all week, including from the speaker at Ford's theater, that before the war Washington was a 'sleepy town of 60,000' people and that during the war the population exploded to over 200,000. Before the War, Washington was not the heart of a centralized Republic. One of the many issues involved in the Civil war was the power of the Federal government compared to the sovereignty of the states. The South left because they believed they had the right to. Due to the Confederate loss, secession was negated as a policy and it was decided that the Union would endure and that the Union was paramount. They center of this redefined Union was the now larger Washington. During the war, the State Department, the White House, and the military all grew into sprawling and large institutions, and the center of these growing bodies was in Washington. Lincoln, the Secretaries of the Cabinet, and military officers in Washington now made decisions from Washington that had an impact on the rest of the country, certainly more so than any executive office since Jackson. Who could imagine an executive office suspending habeas corpus, handing out patronage to tens of thousands of young men, issuing the draft, or emancipating the slaves in the 1840s or the 1850s? While certainly the Congress would take over the Federal leadership in the late 19th century, the growth of Washington started with Lincoln and the war.
#2 - Although the official end of the Civil War was about a month away, Lincoln in his Second Inaugural Address began to lay the groundwork for reconstruction. In the address, Lincoln points out that the “peculiar and powerful interest” of slavery has been ended, and that, although the goals of neither side have been completely attained, the conflict is likely nearing its end. But one gets the sense reading the address that Lincoln sees the war as the crescendo in a long conflict, and that he now wants to prepare the nation for the fact that this is only the completion of this step of a process rather than an end in itself; “let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds” he tells the American people. Lincoln acknowledges, without going into great detail, that the roots of the war run deep, that both North and South share blame for the Union almost being torn apart, and that the process of repair and reconciliation is not likely to be quick or easy, but that he is hopeful that it will be successful in caring for individuals directly impacted by the conflict as well as for the nation and its position in the international community of the day.
ReplyDeleteLincoln's Legacy
ReplyDeleteFord's Theater Questions:
2. How did Lincoln lay the groundwork for Reconstruction in his Second Inaugural Address?
He wanted the country to be A Country again. The idea for Lincolns Reconstruction should be referred to as Reconciliation. Lincoln wrote a historical synopsis of the events that lead up to the war. He then suggests that now that this terrible thing has occurred, it should be a kept in the past. He wants to continue on with the vision set forth by the Founding Fathers – of what America should be. That understanding – compromise – forgiveness and moveing forward is the Nations business once again.
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address laid the ground work for Reconstruction because within in his address he showed that he was not going to practically blame anyone for the war. In his address he goes on to say that it is now time to move forward, to reunite the Union without slavery. Lincoln was able to accomplish all of his goals within the Civil War, however it came with major loses. His second address shows that it is now time to put the war behind them and move on.
ReplyDelete2. How did Lincoln lay the groundwork for Reconstruction in his Second Inaugural Address?
ReplyDeleteAfter carefully examining Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, it is clear that Lincoln was very deliberately laying the groundwork for reconstruction. Lincoln’s goal of preserving the Union can be seen in the language of the Address. Blame is placed on both sides, and at the same time forgiveness is encouraged by both sides. While no single plan is specifically laid out, Lincoln was very explicit in saying that the country will be whole once more. The idea that neither side will be punished any further, echoing Lincoln’s plans for reconstruction, is seen in the Second Inaugural Address.
1. How did the Civil War make Washington DC a true center of political power?
ReplyDeleteWith the population explosion at the onset of the war, DC was transformed overnight. Bringing troops and military leaders for the war effort completely changed the city. Before the war, more emphasis seemed to be placed on state governments. During and after the war, the federal government took on more of an active role and solidified it as a world power. DC was catipulted into the center of political power as Lincoln fought to preserve a Union with a strong federal government.
With the war coming to an end Lincoln uses his Second Inaugural Address to begin to introduce his plans for Reconstruction. Lincoln’s primary goal was always to preserve the Union. He knew that if Reconstruction was going to be successful it had to be a program based on leniency. In one of Lincoln’s most famous quotes “with malice towards none”, he shows that he is not looking to blame or punish the Confederates but to begin the healing process.
ReplyDelete#2 In Lincoln's Second Inaugural address, he clearly depicts how this is a "New day" in our country. It's time to make things right. Look beyond the evil that the war created and rebuild. By moving forward and "bind up the nation's wounds" reconstruction begins. His wording was clever; he did not point the fingers at the south. He demonstrated strong leadership while preserving the union.
ReplyDeleteLincoln's Second Inaugural Address did lay the groundwork for Reconstruction. Unfortunately, the best man for the job would be assassinated and his shoes would be filled by men who lacked his wisdom and foresight.
ReplyDeleteLincoln stayed the course. Now matter how ugly the war became he never forgot that he was the President of the entire country, not just the North. Punishing those who rebelled too harshly (or at all) would only slow the healing process. It was a family fight caused by a very few "insurgents."
2. Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address details his ideas at the conclusion of the Civil War regarding his view of the causes of the war and the direction of the nation as it moves forward. Both issues reflect Lincoln’s adoption of Daniel Webster’s view as stated, “One nation, one constitution, one destiny.” This theme which Lincoln had embroidered in his overcoat as “One Nation, One Destiny” is fundamental to his assertion that both sides were at fault, both sides were unsatisfied and both sides must work together “to bind up the nation’s wounds” and care for all of the veterans of war, their widows and children. Lincoln sets the tone for the reconstruction in the last paragraph of the address that begins “With malice toward none, with charity to all” and concludes “to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” Lincoln believes that to punish the South would be to punish the nation which is the national equivalent of “cutting off you nose to spite your face.”
ReplyDeletein his second inaugural address Lincoln set the stage for Reconstruction. He made it clear to his audience he had no intention of punishing the South. He spoke of forgiveness, encouraging the nation to move forward. The idea of Reconstruction was to put the coountry back together on a united front. Lincoln emphasized there was no room or time for blame. Once again Lincoln managed to draw attention to and put the focus on what was important...the Country and its people.
ReplyDeleteLINCOLN'S LEGACY: FORD'S THEATER
ReplyDeleteLincoln was able to lay the groundwork for Reconstruction in his Second Inaugural Address by his careful choice of words that showed his vision for the country's future. It began with a recent history of the country and causes of the war, acknowledging that both the North and South were responsible for the Civil War and only God had the right to judge those involved, using several references from The Bible. His speech continued by bridging toward a new beginning for the country--Reconstruction--by urging citizens to find common ground rather than take radical action or seek revenge. Being a firm believer in the U.S. Constitution and what it stood for, his goal was to reunite the United States and it restore it to what the Founding Fathers intended it to be.
2. Lincoln laid the groundwork for Reconstruction in his Second Inaugural Address in several ways. The whole tone of the address is one of reconciliation and not one of judgment. He calls upon the nation to understand what led to the war for both sides so that with this recognition the nation could begin the difficult task of forgiving and moving forward as one. This is especially evident in the last paragraph where he begins with “With malice toward none; with charity for all…” Lincoln understood that winning the war was only half the battle…the other half would be putting the country back together.
ReplyDelete#2 Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address laid a conciliatory groundwork for the reconstruction that was to begin post-Civil War. Had Lincoln lived, I believe taht his address provides a good deal of evidence that the Age of Reconstruction would have been much different. Then again, the assassination of a President also swayed feelings of all parties and led to much greater tension and hatred. I agree with Anna that the "malice towards none; with charity for all" is the pinnacle of the speech, indicating Lincoln's intention to move on without a focus on punishment.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s Legacy #2
ReplyDeleteOn March 4, 1865, as the Civil War was drawing to a close with a clear Union victory, President Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address. What words would he offer to a battered nation that was in need of healing? The emotions were deep and raw and he knew that he could not speak of a Northern victory or the defeat of the Confederacy and the institution of slavery. Lincoln addressed none of these expectations but offered a moral framework for reconciliation and peace. President Lincoln was known to read the Bible and to quote from it. The insertion of the Bible signaled Lincoln's determination to think theologically as well as politically about the war. “With malice towards none, with charity for all, with the firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on…to bind up the nations wounds…a just and lasting peace.” Both sides needed to hear something more concrete about the future of the nation rather than a sermon as stated by Frederick Douglass. Perhaps he wanted to remind our nation of our roots and quoted from the bible hoping to appeal to the to the masses with a spiritual connection..