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 was born into poverty in Kentucky in 1809. He worked a variety of odd jobs before becoming an attorney, and eventually a politician. His political career began as a state legislator, and he was later elected as a representative for Illinois in Congress. He was elected president in 1860, emerging victorious against three other candidates and winning both the electoral and popular vote. As a Republican, he opposed the expansion of slavery. His opposition contrasted sharply with his opponents’ more permissive stances or outright support for the institution. Southern states viewed Lincoln’s election as a direct threat to the institution of slavery, which led to the secession of seven states (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) from the Union shortly after his victory. This act led to President Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion, prompting Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee to secede from the Union shortly after. This definitive escalation from political conflict to armed warfare led to the bloodiest conflict in American history.