Wednesday, April 29, 2015

BLOG 27: LINCOLN'S SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Would you be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the American Civil War when he said in his 2nd Inaugural Address, "With malice towards none; with charity for all..."?

Why or why not?

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amanda Flynn
I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the American Civil War during his second inaugural address. I would because the only way that he could get the people from the Confederacy to like him is to be forgiving, and the only way he could be a successful president is to have to trust of the entire country.

Anonymous said...

Samantha Sisson
Period 3

I would not have been as forgiving. This is because the South continued to treat blacks poorly, and they tried to tear the union apart because of their selfish reasons.

Anonymous said...

I would forgive the confederates for leaving as long as they don't cause too much trouble and be at least decent people but if they break the law I would add their rebellion to the sentence so I would give them life in prison

Anonymous said...

I think I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln because of many reasons. For one, both sides have already lost many men. Killing more would be pointless. Another reason is in the end, we're all Americans. This reason also justifies why killing people is useless. The last reason is, going to jail or being on 'parole' is good enough as a punishment. Yes, the Confederates are guilty of treason, but being thrown in jail for life is just as bad as death. -Victoria Yencik, Period 3.

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving because we are all Americans. Yes, we have differences in opinions that cause harsh fights, but that's just how it is. In this war, we lost many men like they did so it would be wrong to just say I wouldn't give to them or have hatred towards them for believing in what they think is right. They believe in their own opinion just as much as we do.

Caitlin D. P:3

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would be as forgiving as Licoln was in his 2nd address because he didn't want anyone to get hurt because a lot of people went through a hard time in the war and wanted to be forgiving and nice, I agree with that

Anna Delaney
period 3

Anonymous said...

If I were in Abe Lincoln’s shoes, I probably would have done the same thing. If you already won the war, your enemies naturally hate you. Why would you want to act towards them with malice, if it wouldn’t do any good, except weaken your relationship further? Also, he doesn’t want to be seen by the Union as a mean man who as soon as he takes over his enemies, he mistreats them? He wanted the nation to live together in peace, so he made it clear to the public that there would be no anger towards eachother.

Maddie Winters
Period 1

Anonymous said...

Jessie Bennett p1
Yes i would be as forgiving as Abe is. I would because they all deserve as much respect as the other side. Many people died and will be missed, they didnt have the civil war for nothing. So yes i would be.

Anonymous said...

Sam Gertner Period 1
I would be as forgiving as Lincoln because from a selfish standpoint, the South could bring in money for the government through their crops. Also, having more people paying taxes would benefit the government financially. Also, as tough as it might be, I think it is the right thing to do by showing grace toward the South. By showing grace, the South will like you which would avoid hatred, potentially avoiding another war.

Anonymous said...

I would not be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the Civil War because the people of the Confederate States of America were traders to their country that accepted them back into after their attempted cession. They were slave owners, awful people, and rebels to a country they disobeyed. Lincoln was very kind to be as accepting as he was but I would not have tolerated that disobedience and unpatriotic attempt of a country.

Aidan McShane
Period 8

Anonymous said...

Mike Kusick 8

Yes I would be forgiving because Abraham worked so hard to become president to win the war. He also kept the Union together and helped end most of slavery.

Anonymous said...

If I were Lincoln most likely yes. Lincoln wanted to preserve the Union so if I had the same goal then i would hold back my anger so I could save the Union like Lincoln. "with malice towards none;" would be a true statement for me in Lincolns position.
Michaela Csvihinka
period 1

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln because it is better to let go of your resentment towards someone than to hold on to it for the rest of your life. If this happens then it will bring the brightness out of your world. Abraham Lincoln made the right choice because no one should be negatively labeled after only being given a single chance. In my opinion first impression do not exist and it is better to further investigate the person opposed to falsely judging them on their flawed aspects. The war may have been over but if Lincoln did not forgive his rivals their would only be a harsh war raging within him, which is no better.

Cailinn Stockman
Per.2 5/1/15

Anonymous said...

I would not be as forgiving as Lincoln at the end of the war. I believe that the Confederates were traitors against America and should be punished properly. Hundreds of thousands of American men died because of the war and the enemies should have to pay for it.
DJ Foley
Period 1

Anonymous said...


Tyler Gaughan per 3

I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the Civil War, but I probably wouldn't like it much. I would forgive them because I could understand how they feel and how the southerners could only get angry if we punished them. After losing not only the war but economically hit they will need some help, from the charity of the north.

Anonymous said...

Manaia Friend
5/2/15
Period 3
If I were Abe Lincoln I wouldn’t be as forgiving as he was to the South. I would’ve been mad because they started a huge war, caused many casualties, and almost ripped the country apart. I would not just forgiven them. I do not understand why Abe Lincoln forgave them in his second inaugural.

Anonymous said...

I would not be as forgiving as Lincoln was. This is because America was turned into a huge battle ground all because of the South's senseless antics because Lincoln was elected to the presidential office. He came right off the bat and said that he wasn't going to prohibit slavery, only stop the spread. Meanwhile the south is screaming bloody murder that he's going to take there slaves. It seems really silly if you think about it.

Mark Hammer
P3

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln at the end of the Civil War. I wouldn't be as forgiving as him because this war caused the most deaths out of any of the American wars. About 620,000 soldiers died while fighting for freedom or defending their side of the country. We could have avoided the war by making a compromise with the other side.
Meghan L.
Period 8

Anonymous said...

If I was in the position of being the 16th president back in the time of the civil war, that is if women were allowed to become president of course, I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln. I would be as forgiving because I'd try and look through the perspective of being in a southerns shoes with their beliefs throughout the war. I would understand how having slavery was part of their "lifestyle" back then, with the labor being needed for their large plantations which needed to be tended to, and I'd see how they'd want to separate from the country to sustain their ways. If someone tried to take a piece of my everyday life away from me I wouldn't be too happy either, therefore, I'd forgive their ways and try and maintain peace between all in order to completely keep the union together as a whole.

Katherine Samonek
Period 1

Anonymous said...

Megan O'Meara Period 3
Yes, I would be as forgiving. I would want the southerners to feel welcomed in the county. If they were not treated with some respect and equality they may decide to start the war back up in a few years and try to break away again. This would just cause more damage for the northerners and the country as a whole.

Anonymous said...

Melissa Psaras
Period 1

I would be as forgiving as Lincoln because even though I may feel like the South doesn't deserve it, it is the right thing to do. People have different opinions and they shouldn't be punished for them. The people of the Confederacy were only doing what they felt was right in their eyes. Also, if the South was punished for what they did there may be another uprising later and to be kind to them is the best way to prevent that. Being kind to people after they made a mistake builds strong character for not only the person granting the forgiveness but it also brings the country together in harmony. This is what Lincoln was trying to accomplish and that is why I would do the same as he did.

Anonymous said...

I feel as if i would be as forgiving. By Lincoln saying, "With malice towards none; with charity for all" he expresses how everyone should equally feel sorry for both sides because the both lost a lot of men. He's also saying that we should forgive and basically forget that the Confederates have turned against the United States.I would hope I'd be just as forgiving because after Lincoln had, the United States slowly progressed to be united.
Casandra Stoica
Period 3

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would have been as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln when he said his 2nd Inaugraul Address because if not the South would feel like they don't belong in America. They would encouraged to leave or maybe even rebel again if they're mis-treated. Because of the forgiveness of the North, the South realizes that the North is not so bad.
Tommy Brisch

Anonymous said...

I think I would forgive the South like Lincoln because I believe in second chances. Everyone in this war is human, and humans make mistakes. If the South had won, then in Lincoln's position, I would have hoped for a chance to apologize for my wrongs.

Sabrina P1

Anonymous said...

Kayla Plunkett per. 8

I agree with Lincoln, and I would act as forgiving as he was at the end of the war. I say this because I recognize how hard the south fought. I understand how badly they fought for their region, and I wouldn't have any hatred towards them for doing so. We need to help them become a part of the nation again, and having no consideration towards them will not help the nation.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the American Civil War because the only reason states started to secede in the first place was because of Lincoln's victory as president. Also, I wouldn't want anymore violence or hatred added to the already massive amount caused by the war. In addition, I would've been able to sympathize with the South over how they were fighting for what they believed in, just like all Americans did during the Revolutionary War. Overall, I can see why Lincoln was as forgiving as he was when he said in his 2nd Inaugural Address, "With malice towards none; with charity for all . . ."

Melissa Santos
Period: 3

Anonymous said...

Michael Wisentaner
I wouldn't be as forgiving as Abe Lincoln. Abe Lincoln doesn't realize that he is being nice to the same people who killed a lot of his men. All of the suffering they had to go through because of the Confederates. Instead of showing no malice, he should put an end to any alive soldier that was a Confederate. I would not let them go back to their homes.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I think I would be forgiving towards the South at the end of the Civil War. The reason for this is that if you were not as forgiving it would just lead the South to be unhappy. Anger would pent up inside of them, which could then lead to another war even though the lost the first. If the South were to be punished, it would most likely lead to rebellion. Also many people always put their state before their country, but maybe an act like this could make them believe that their country is of greater importance.

Michelle A.
Period 1

Anonymous said...

no i would these people gave them hell for years and killed a lot of there men if it was up to me in would thrown them all in jail. I would not even say he just freed the slaves he freed all the confederet solders. he could gave just kill all of them. joey maillet

Anonymous said...

Alyssa Noce
Period 2

I probably would not have been as forgiving as Lincoln was towards the end of the Civil War. I would not have been as forgiving because the people fighting for the Confederate or believed in what the Confederate's believed were against the Union and wanted to leave the United States to become their own country. In most wars, the winner takes something from the looser, land or money, but Lincoln didn't want to take anything from the South. He wanted to remain as one Nation and be a free Country.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln because sometimes people do things that they really don't mean to do. I think that during the civil war people had a misunderstanding about things. Abraham Lincoln seemed to be very forgiving about the civil war when I read the second inagureal he seemed to want to fix the nation up again. I would try to be that forgiving about the Civil War.

Sarah Townson Period 2

Anonymous said...

yes, because they won't try to start an army in a few years and break away again, they need to be welcomed and respected in the country otherwise they won't want to stay.

Maddie Samperi
period 3

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would be forgiving at the end of the Civil War like Lincoln because in the end we are still Americans. Lincoln was talking about healing our country and fixing it, which was what was right. Also, to be the president of a country, you are the leader and to keep that country together, you have to push aside the past and think about the future as a country .
Andrew, period 3

Anonymous said...

Anna Civitelli Period 1

If i was Abraham Lincoln, i would not be as forgiving as he came out to be at the end of the American Civil War. When the South separated it caused a lot of problems like the war and the battle over the Confederate Flag.

Anonymous said...

I would be forgiving but not as much as Lincoln. I forgive them because they were fighting for their rights and it was right for us to violate their first Amendment rights. I would still want to punish them though because they rebelled against us and broke apart from the nation.

MAX

Anonymous said...

I would have been because over all they lost so many people and being enemies with the South would not have made things any better. I think Lincoln made a good discion by saying what he said and did the right thing. Kaitlyn Reagan

Anonymous said...

I think that is the right choice to make but realistically I probably wouldn't treat them so respectfully as Lincoln did. In most wars the losers normally lose something or get punished. I think I would do that because they left the country. They were fighting for the right to own people. That is morally wrong. I would have probably banned the confederate flag. This was a symbol of the confederacy so if that is gone then they have nothing to symbolize the Confederate States of America. This is a punishment that is fair.
Kenny Schneider period 1

Anonymous said...

Yes I would be as forgiving as Abraham because he was saying that the South were good people. I believe that they were fighting for their own cause and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Dawson Pallotta period 8

Anonymous said...

Yes I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the American Civil War because it is more important to keep the country together, rather than to hold a grudge against the Confederates and punish them. It is more important to reunite with the South and become a stronger nation, then to be mad at them for something that happened in the past. We have to move on and forget some things in the past to be more successful in the future.



Rachel C Period #1

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln because he needed to reunify the country and not prosecute the southerners for trying to leave the union and to abolish slavery, and try to make everyone be treated equally.

Alana Burr

Anonymous said...

If I was Abe Lincoln I would probably be somewhat forgiving in the end of the Civil War because I would be understanding that they have the right to express their freedoms in America but I would also be sort of upset at the fact that they were to go as far as to actually kill over it. But then again they are still just fighting for their rights and freedom as an American citizen. So basically I would be forgiving.

Period 1
Sam K

Anonymous said...

Yes I think I would be. If I was trying to put a country back tougether, being forgiving would help. If he imprisoned all of the confederate soldiers, the south might be mad at the north and the whole war would have been for nothing.

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving as Abe Lincoln was because at that point, it wasn't about getting eevenge. It was about rebuilding the union that was very close to being split in two. I would also have taken the appropriate measures that Lincoln had, by making the confederates hand over all their weapons.

Murray McCarthy

Anonymous said...

Yes I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the civil war because he wanted the nation to heal and to come together as one and you wouldn't be able to do that if you never forgave the South. Forgiving is what got us to be our country today.

-Emily Ryan

Anonymous said...

Jake mccarthy pr.1

I would be forgiving because it would make a better union. The original motive for fighting the war in the union was to reuniting the union and if you punish the confederace for the war then they would not want to be a part of the union because the side they are joining with has punished them.

Anonymous said...

I would be forgiving as Abe because we are all American in the same country. We would all be free Americans with no hate towards each other.

Brett Cahill p:3

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln because if you are forgiving and leave the war in the past, then new wars and fights wont be started. Also the Golden Rule is to treat others as you want to be treated, and treating other people wrong because they wanted a voice is wrong.

Lucas Cuseo Period 3

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln at the end of the Civil War. The fact that the Confederates willingly surrendered without retaliation was unlike many other surrenders. Lincoln was one who wanted peace for the war and wanted them to rejoin the Union. Harassing them about their defeat may anger build up in the South because of all they lost and may cause another war.
-Tyler V

Anonymous said...

I would be as forging as Lincoln was at the end of the American Civil War because the south was very good to surrender. Despite their differences and mistakes they are still american citizens that make mistakes sometimes. That is what makes them who they are and Lincoln was willing to look passed their flaws because they were human beings and every human being makes mistakes sometimes.

Briana Stockbridge Period 2

Anonymous said...


I would be as forgiving as Abraham Lincoln was at the end of the American Civil War during his second inaugural address. I would because the only way that he could get the people from the Confederacy to like him is to be forgiving, and the only way he could be a successful president, he was going to give them all the rights treat them normal and forgive them and make them just like northers.

Joey Samonek
Per.3

Anonymous said...

I would not be as forgiving s Abraham Lincoln at the end of the war. To the North the Confederates were traitors, they separated from the Union. If someone does something wrong, then they need to be punished for what they have done. The North should have punished the South to show that they are superior, and make sure that the South would never think of separating again.

Christina Moniz
Period 3

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving because what is done is done. When things are settled it's final, it's the rule of war. I would also be forgiving because they battle they fought was a fair fight. If I had either won or loss I would have to except defeat or success. If I lost of course I'd be mad but I would have to accept what happened and leave it all in the past because it's not worth another Civil War and having our own state split and fight a war against possibly splitting America apart permanently.

Xavier
Period 2

Anonymous said...

I would be as forgiving because the South was fighting for what they believed in. They thought slavery was right and it is, but I think we should not teach them what is right through punishment we should just make new laws that will equalize the people and the South will see that slavery is wrong. From our eyes we believed that our nation should be free. We should try to teach them to see what we see. That we are all equal. Also if we lost the war, we would not want the South to punish us. We need to try to put ourselves in the South's shoes and try to feel what the South feels. They stood up for what they believed in and so did the Union. We should not punish them for standing up for what they believe in.
Maria Castro-Rodriguez
period 1