How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it?
Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address
30 minutes total
ByAbraham Lincoln
Grade9-10
Time30 minutes
Essential question
How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it?
Marked passage
Passage location
Second paragraph
Start anchor
Fellow-countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office
End anchor
And the war came.
Passage focus
And the war came
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Compare the grammatically parallel descriptions of each side's aim and the compressed ending 'And the war came.'
Mark
Bracket the parallel phrases describing what both sides wanted to avoid. Underline the different conditions each side was willing to accept war for. Star the short sentence 'And the war came.'
Instructional move
Use parallel structure to assign unequal agency without triumphalism
Notice
• What emotion or desire does Lincoln attribute to both sides? • Where does the grammar remain parallel while the moral responsibility diverges? • Why does the impersonal sentence 'And the war came' sound restrained after the preceding assignment of agency?
Strong answer
Parallel structure gives both sides a shared desire to avoid war, but the reasons they are willing to accept war differ. One side would fight to preserve slavery; the other would fight rather than let the Union perish.
Think
Answer provisionally: How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not claim Lincoln makes responsibility equal because the sentences are balanced. The parallel grammar contains unequal agency.
Why this passage
Lincoln says both sides dreaded war, but the parallel sentences do not distribute responsibility equally. One side would accept war to preserve slavery; the other would accept war rather than let the nation perish. The shared reluctance sits beside unequal causes and choices.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Bracket the parallel phrases describing what both sides wanted to avoid. Underline the different conditions each side was willing to accept war for. Star the short sentence 'And the war came.'
Notice
What emotion or desire does Lincoln attribute to both sides? Where does the grammar remain parallel while the moral responsibility diverges? Why does the impersonal sentence 'And the war came' sound restrained after the preceding assignment of agency?
Think
Answer provisionally: How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 08 · 9-10 · LESSON 160
Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address
Abraham Lincoln
How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still
distinguishing their responsibility for it?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
And the war came
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Second paragraph
START
Fellow-countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office
END
And the war came.
PASSAGE ID
sec-lin2-02
THE MOVE
Use parallel structure to assign unequal agency without triumphalism
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Lincoln says both sides dreaded war, but the parallel sentences do not distribute responsibility equally. One side would accept war to preserve slavery; the other would accept war rather than let the nation perish. The shared reluctance sits beside unequal causes and choices.
MARK
Bracket the parallel phrases describing what both sides wanted to avoid. Underline the different conditions each side was willing to accept war for. Star the short sentence 'And the war came.'
page 1
NOTICE
What emotion or desire does Lincoln attribute to both sides?
Where does the grammar remain parallel while the moral responsibility diverges?
Why does the impersonal sentence 'And the war came' sound restrained after the preceding
assignment of agency?
THINK
Answer provisionally: How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still distinguishing their responsibility for it? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Parallel structure gives both sides a shared desire to avoid war, but the reasons they are willing to accept war differ. One side would fight to preserve slavery; the other would fight rather than let the Union perish.
EVIDENCE
Compare the grammatically parallel descriptions of each side's aim and the compressed ending 'And the war came.'
WATCH FOR
Do not claim Lincoln makes responsibility equal because the sentences are balanced. The parallel grammar contains unequal agency.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address
Abraham Lincoln
How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still
distinguishing their responsibility for it?
START ANCHOR
Fellow-countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office
END ANCHOR
And the war came.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Bracket the parallel phrases describing what both sides wanted to avoid. Underline the
different conditions each side was willing to accept war for. Star the short sentence 'And the war came.'
2.NOTICE - What emotion or desire does Lincoln attribute to both sides? Where does the
grammar remain parallel while the moral responsibility diverges? Why does the impersonal sentence 'And the war came' sound restrained after the preceding assignment of agency?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: How does Lincoln say both sides dreaded war while still
distinguishing their responsibility for it?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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