With Charity for All: Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and Respect

In this lesson, students will review Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, delivered as Union troops were within sight of ultimate victory in the Civil War. They will analyze how he demonstrated respect in his approach to his second term of office and plans for restoring the Union. They will achieve the following objectives.

Walk-In-The-Shoes Questions
As you read, imagine you are the protagonist.

• What challenges are you facing?
• What fears or concerns might you have?
• What may prevent you from acting in the way you ought?

Observation Questions

• In what ways did Abraham Lincoln demonstrate respect in order to enhance life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for himself and others in his Second Inaugural Address?
• What was Abraham Lincoln’s identity during the Civil War? To what extent do you see emphasis on the virtue of respect in his words and actions?
• As the Civil War drew to a close and he began his second term as president, how did Lincoln see his purpose as president?

Discussion Questions
Discuss the following questions with your students.

• What is the historical context of the narrative?
• What historical circumstances presented a challenge to the protagonist?
• How and why did the individual exhibit a moral and/or civic virtue in facing and overcoming the challenge?
• How did the exercise of the virtue benefit civil society?
• How might exercise of the virtue benefit the protagonist?
• What might the exercise of the virtue cost the protagonist?
• Would you react the same under similar circumstances? Why or why not?
• How can you act similarly in your own life? What obstacles must you overcome in order to do so?

• Students will analyze Abraham Lincoln’s character as a leader and his commitment to respecting people who had fought against the Union during the Civil War.
• Students will examine Lincoln’s understanding of respect as a practical virtue.
• Students will understand why cultivating respect affects the future of the United States.
• Students will demonstrate respect in their own lives to protect freedom.