Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

Paragraph I

-Talking about power

-There’s a less occasion for a longer address

-This is going to be short

-There’s no need for an extended address because public announcements have been made so often over the past four years that there’s nothing much to say

Paragraph II

-Talking about the war briefly

-Why the war started

-Sort of blaming the south for not understanding that the union should stick together

-The South would rather go to war than work things out

Paragraph III

-Why are we in the war

-Talks about slaves

-God is punishing them for their sins

-Uses religion as a tool because it was a legitimate resource in these times

-Trying to justify the war

Paragraph IV

-Wrapping up his speech

-What the nation as a whole needs to do

-Brothers are fighting against brothers

-The Nation needs to get back together

-They’re not going to hold it against anybody for the war