George W. Bush: Second Inaugural Address

Question

George W. Bush

Thursday, January 20, 2005

1 On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable wisdom of our Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country. I am grateful for the honor of this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I have sworn and you have witnessed.

2 At this second gathering, our duties are defined not by the words I use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half a century, America defended our own freedom by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical—and then there came a day of fire.

3 We have seen our vulnerability—and we have seen its deepest source. For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny—prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder—violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a mortal threat. There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom.

4 We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.

5 America’s vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one. From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth. Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation’s security, and the calling of our time.

6 So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.
Question
excerpts from An American History Timeline
1857: The United States Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision declares blacks, free or slave, have no citizenship rights.
1859: John Brown conducts a raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia to free and arm slaves. His effort fails and he is executed.
1861: Lincoln's election in 1860 leads to Southern states seceding and starts Civil War between the free and the slave states. The Secretary of the Navy authorizes enlistment of contrabands (slaves) taken in Confederate territories.

Which choice is a logical conclusion that uses information from both articles?
Responses
A The intended audience for the second inaugural address was abolitionists.The intended audience for the second inaugural address was abolitionists.
B The information in the timeline supports statements in the inaugural address.The information in the timeline supports statements in the inaugural address.
C The information in the timeline contradicts statements in the inaugural address.The information in the timeline contradicts statements in the inaugural address.
D President George W. Bush wanted to present a complete American history timeline.

Answer 1

B. The information in the timeline supports statements in the inaugural address.

This is a logical conclusion because both the second inaugural address by George W. Bush and the timeline highlight the concepts of freedom, liberty, and the struggle against tyranny and oppression. The timeline signifies key moments in American history related to the fight for rights and citizenship, particularly for African Americans, which aligns with the ideas of human freedom and the expansion of democratic values expressed in Bush's address.