Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, delivered his Second Inaugural Address in front of a crowd in Washington, DC, on March 4, 1865. The audience included a mix of dignitaries and everyday citizens. On the dais sat members of Congress, military officials, and foreign diplomats. Beyond the official seating, a heterogeneous crowd filled the Capitol grounds, including wounded veterans in uniform, families eager to hear about the future of the nation, and Black troops who had recently fought for the Union.

Lincoln’s address, delivered as the Civil War neared its conclusion, is a reflection on the tumultuous period leading up to 1865 and the president’s vision for the nation’s recovery and unity. At the heart of Lincoln’s speech is the acknowledgment of the universal expectation that the war was drawing to a close and the shared, yet divergent, prayers of both the North and South for victory.

This study guide refers to the version found on the National Park Services website and is cited by paragraph.

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

Lincoln opens his speech by contrasting the situation at his second inauguration with that of his first. Assuming that his listeners understand the current state of the war, he remarks that there’s no need to speak at length this time. He further reflects that when he last gave an inaugural address, there was both a universal fear of war and a universal expectation that the Union would be preserved without bloodshed. This hope was dashed; Lincoln remarks that the Southern states’ determination to destroy the nation and the Northern states’ desire to preserve it superseded either’s desire for peace.

The president then directly attributes Slavery as the Main Cause of the Civil War, bringing to light the reality that was sometimes suppressed behind other causes and political divides. In lieu of focusing on slavery as the primary issue behind the war, many chose to highlight other differences and dodge the issue at hand in hopes of a peaceful, quick end to the bloodshed. He observes that while the North and South both profited from slavery, neither truly anticipated the scale of conflict that would arise to settle their differences. This admission places the responsibility for the conflict on the entire nation, rather than solely on the Confederacy, suggesting a shared guilt in the perpetuation of slavery.

Lincoln then discusses the irony that both sides prayed to the same God for victory yet fought for opposing causes. Lincoln goes on to address how both the North and the South believed God to be on their side and suggests that this united assumption—that a divine figure would choose a side in a human war—ironically joins the sides together. God, Lincoln believes, is only as involved as is necessary in human affairs. Lincoln asserts that people must find peace and connection to overcome their own trials.

Lincoln’s focus shifts to the post-war reconstruction, spotlighting the need for national healing. He envisions a future where the nation is reunited and the wounds inflicted by the war and slavery are healed. Lincoln advocates for a compassionate approach to rebuilding the South, stressing the importance of forgiveness and National Unity and Reconciliation over retribution. The president briefly touches on the economic and societal upheaval caused by the war and the emancipation of enslaved people. He implies that the nation must endure these challenges as part of the process of eliminating the moral blight of slavery and achieving a lasting peace. The speech signals a hopeful yet realistic outlook on the necessary transformation of American society to accommodate the end of slavery and the integration of freed, formerly enslaved individuals.

In the concluding portion of his address, Lincoln makes an appeal to the American populace, urging them to proceed with the Reconstruction era in a spirit of kindness and collaboration. He does not offer specific policies for reconstruction in the address, but instead focuses on the attitudes Americans should adopt to heal the divided nation. He invokes the necessity of steadfastness in moral righteousness, as guided by divine providence, while also calling for humility and compassion in victory.