Lincoln's First Inaugural

Few historical documents have been quoted and explained as often as Lincoln's First Inaugural address. Displayed below are sections of Lincoln's address with popular sections highlighted. As you move through this section, take the time to click on and expand the different sections of Lincoln's address to view the highlighted quotes in greater context.

Following this are subsequent textbook passages that mention this speech. Through the inclusion and emphasis of some sections over others, observe how authors are able to create different narrative interpretations regarding the tone it set and the significance it held as the conflict of the Civil War was about to erupt.

Some authors decided to leave the mentions of slavery and Lincoln's intentions towards the institution completely out of their summaries, focusing rather on issues of mainting the Union and Lincoln's attempt to place agency regarding starting the war firmly in the hands of the South.

Other authors find themselves completely comsumed with the section on Lincoln's initial intentions towards the institution of slavery, and go to lengths to use this as an explanation into how the war was not over the issue of slavery.

 Other times, Lincoln's address came to be viewed by some textbooks as a cause of the Civil War, or even as an aggressive declaration of war before a bullet or cannon had been fired.