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Lincoln's Greatest Speech

40 minutes 33 seconds

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Hosted by Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss and featuring Lincoln biographer Dr. Ronald C. White, Jr., this video examines President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, which Lincoln termed to be his "greatest speech" and his "best effort." Through Dreyfuss' delivery of the speech and White's analysis, viewers gain the true meaning of Lincoln's words and feelings towards the Civil War, the defeated Confederacy, and American slavery. Please note this video contains historical photographs from Civil War battles including images of corpses.

Media Details

Runtime: 40 minutes 33 seconds

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Group of actors wearing Civil War-era costumes stand and watch a figure who resembles Abraham Lincoln. Caption. Elected him to the state legislature.
17 minutes 48 seconds
Grade Level: 3 - 6
Sepia tone portrait of Abraham Lincoln with short dark hair and a beard wearing a black and white tuxedo. Caption with Lincoln as narrator. With malice toward none, with charity for all.
Our Presidents In America's History
Episode 8
10 minutes 23 seconds
Grade Level: 3 - 8
Man dressed as Abraham Lincoln stands sideways in front of a sunlit window, looking down at a small book. Framed portrait hangs on wall next to window.
25 minutes 38 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
A senior man in a striped shirt and suspenders opens mouth in mid-speech and faces a young man in a suit jacket while standing in front of an open doorway. Caption. Lincoln was still interested in politics.
America's Journey Through Slavery
Season 0 / Ep 5
13 minutes 25 seconds
Grade Level: 4 - 10
Profile view of man in Confederate costume riding a horse out of frame. Caption. All told, Lee's men kill over 1,700 Union soldiers.
America the Story of Us
Season 1 / Ep 5
44 minutes 1 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Cartoon. Actual image of the top of the Emancipation Proclamation in color, showing a portrait of Lincoln with a laurel leaf border and 2 American flags waving in the breeze. Caption. January 1, 1863, I sent out the Emancipation Proclamation.
Getting To Know The U.S. Presidents
Episode 4
20 minutes 48 seconds
Grade Level: 2 - 6
Black and white image of nineteenth century men surrounding an unconscious Abraham Lincoln wearing white and lying in bed.
28 minutes 41 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
Color illustration. Abraham Lincoln walks with a girl, a woman carrying a baby, and 2 men. Caption. He had to shake hands.
21 minutes 12 seconds
Grade Level: 3 - 6
Painting. Abraham Lincoln, wearing trousers, shirt, and suspenders holds out his hands to a man. They are standing outside a home under an awning. Caption. Thank you, young man.
12 minutes 14 seconds
Grade Level: 2 - 6
Painting of a nineteenth century schooner beneath a black sky. Title card reads, "Oh, Captain, My Captain. Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil War."
1 hours 7 minutes 43 seconds
Grade Level: 6 - 9