Description
Abraham Lincoln, in his first inaugural address, focused on shoring up his support in the north without further alienating the south, where he was almost universally hated or feared. Delivered after Hannibal Hamlin was sworn in as vice president, the address avoided any mention of the Republican Party platform, which condemned all efforts to reopen the African slave trade and denied the authority of Congress or a territorial legislature to legalize slavery in the territories. The address also denied any plan on the part of the Lincoln administration to interfere with the institution of slavery in states where it existed. To Lincoln, the Union, which he saw as older even than the U.S. Constitution, was perpetual and unbroken, and made secession legally impossible.
Full Transcript of President Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
Transcribed Excerpt from President Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
Source-Dependent Questions
- According to President Abraham Lincoln, what is the cause of the conflict between the north and the south?
- What words or phrases does Lincoln use to indicate that he does not want the conflict to escalate?
- Read the last portion of the speech again starting at “We are not enemies, but friends.” What feeling do you think Lincoln was trying to provoke in those who heard and read the speech?
Citation Information
"Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln," Western Sentinel, 15 March 1861. Courtesy of Library of Congress