Question

What is the main idea of this excerpt of Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address?

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil-war. All dreaded it — all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war — seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.

A.
Both the Union and the Confederacy wanted to destroy their enemy.
B.
Both the Union and the Confederacy were responsible for the Civil War.
C.
Both the Union and the Confederacy desired total authority by eliminating the other.
D.
Both the Union and the Confederacy suffered huge economic losses due to the Civil War.
E.
Both the Union and the Confederacy had stockpiled deadly weapons for the Civil War.

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is B.

Explanation:

The main idea of Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is that both the Union and the Confederacy were responsible for the Civil War.  

The second inaugural address was held at Washington D.C in 1865. From the excerpts, both the Union and Confederacy did not initially want to go to war but wanted to be victorious. Although the Union did not want to go war, it was determined to protect its people and territory.  Confederacy, on the other hand, wanted to destroy the Union without having to go to war either.

Given the above, both the Union and Confederacy started the Civil war because as one territory declared the war, the other territory accepted it without weighing the consequences.

Answer 2

Answer:

Answer is B

Explanation: