Abraham Lincoln's First Inauguration

You may feel the election of Donald trump to be the 45^th President of the United States is the most divided time in American history. Perhaps in the last twenty years, this may be true. In fact, the election of Abraham Lincoln was a far more divisive period.

Lincoln in 1861

By the time of his inaugural address on March 4, 1861, seven states already seceded from the Union. U.S. Army garrisons were surrounded by a new Confederate Army, these being at Fort Pickens and Fort Sumter. Furthermore, a relief supply ship sent to Fort Sumter had been fired upon and an argument can be made that this was the first shots fired prior to all out war between the states.

Image: First Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1861, beneath the unfinished Capitol dome. Source: Library of Congress

The police and military were everywhere during his inauguration, an unprecedented amount of protection for the President-elect as the nation stood on the brink of war.  

Mr. Lincoln's speech left no one wondering of his views on the issues on hand, he declared from the beginning of his remarks that the real matter at hand was clear, that leaving the Union by individual states was impossible.

Inauguration Parade (1861)

Here is a link to the full speech by Mr. Lincoln