Lincoln Addresses the Nation

150 years ago, President-elect Abraham Lincoln had arrived in Washington, DC and was prepared to address the nation as he assumed the mantle of the presidency with a looming Civil War on the horizon. Times have probably never been tougher up to then and since. America was never and has not been as divided as it was in the early part of 1861.

The New York Times has taken a closer look at the road to the Civil War and that includes Lincoln's inauguration. They gathered opinions here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/lincoln-addresses-the-nation/?ref=opinion&nl=opinion&emc=tya1

Furthermore, here is Lincoln's speech:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/04/opinion/20110304_Lincoln_Inaugural_Speech.html

Lincoln spent that March day preparing himself and the nation for the road ahead.