Second Inaugural Address

Definition

The Second Inaugural Address was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1865 during his second inauguration as President. In it, he discussed his views on slavery and expressed hope for healing and unity after Civil War.

Analogy

Imagine you're watching your favorite TV show that has been building up to an epic season finale. That finale episode is like Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address - it sums up what has happened so far (the Civil War), provides a deeper understanding of the main issue (slavery), and sets up what's to come next (reconciliation and unity).

Related terms

Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by President Lincoln in 1862 that declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free.

Reconstruction Era: The period after the Civil War, from 1865-1877, during which the Southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union.

13th Amendment: This amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery throughout the United States.