1. Please answer the 2 questions on your "A House Divided" sheet. Use the comment function on this post, but make sure you copy your writing before hitting "publish," as you don't want to lose it if something goes wrong.*
2. Go through Chapter 16 and look at all the pictures and maps, making sure to read the captions.
*You received an extension on your recitation. Be prepared to deliver "A House Divided" by the conclusion of class on Monday.
1)One could easily argue that during Lincoln's presidency, he was forced to resolve the most difficult matter that any president has yet to face; America was at war with itself. Lincoln's view of America's options as it dealt with slavery was quite clear, for he believed that the matter should be left untouched where it already existed, but the spread of slavery to western America had to be prevented. He knew that if new territories in the west adopted slavery there would be no end it, and that by containing it in the south, it would eventually die off. The south however, believed that if slavery did not spread, then they would lose all political power and be entirely under the control of the north, a fate they were quite frightened and one they were not about to let happen. So, the South's only believed option once Lincoln was inaugurated was to leave the Union and create their own separate nation, a choice that ultimately would damage America as a whole quite severely.
ReplyDelete2)Lincoln was very consistent in his idea that the nation could not continue forward while split into a state of half free and half slave. But, prior to his inauguration, he did not want to force the change upon the South to end slavery, he only wanted to contain it. He believed by doing this, slavery would run its course and slowly come to an end. Lincoln, from the beginning of his run for presidency believed that the tension between the North and the South needed to be terminated to keep the Union strong and prosperous. However, once he was inaugurated and the Southern states one by one seceded, he quickly came to the conclusion that America could not exist as "a house divided" and that his desire to keep the Union together was great enough that he would not stop at anything to preserve it. His attitudes and actions though remained quite consistent at this point with those he felt before the secessions took place. He still felt that the nation could not thrive while being split, and now with an actual split of the nation, he felt that more than ever that the pieces needed to be reunited so that the Union could rightfully follow its path forward. With the aggressions of the South at Fort Sumter, Lincoln no longer believed there would be a peaceful end to the south's secession, and realized a war was inevitable. When the Civil War was underway, his prior goals to just "contain slavery" quickly shifted and his knew outlook was that slavery needed to end entirely, a decision Lincoln stated clearly in his Emancipation Proclamation.
1. Lincoln believed that the country needed to make a decision to keep it from dissolving. The states had to “become all one thing or all the other,” being all free or all slave states. His main objective was to keep the Union together. Although he wasn’t considered an abolitionist, he didn’t believe that slavery should expand to the western territories, or to places where it hadn’t already existed. The South believed that slavery was their only power source. The southern representatives were being outnumbered in Congress, so this economic power of free labor increased their wealth. The southern states also believed that the Union wasn’t necessary and that they could be self-sufficient.
ReplyDelete2. Lincoln’s attitude before his inauguration, as states before, was to contain slavery where it already existed. If it were to be contained in the south, he thought, then it would eventually become non-existent. After his inauguration and the secession of the South, Lincoln rejected the Crittenden Compromise. It proposed to extend the line (created during the Missouri Compromise of 1820) west and create a longer border between free and slave states. Lincoln rejected this when he said; “I will suffer death before I consent ... to any concession or compromise which looks like buying the privilege to take possession of this government to which we have a constitutional right.” He didn’t believe in making more slave states and thought that the extension of the line would create more division among the Union. In his inaugural address he told the southerners that he had no intention of abolishing slavery in their states and that their peace and personal security are not endangered. He did not want to step on their toes because he wanted to keep the states together and at peace. After the attack on Fort Sumter, Lincoln told his troops to protect Washington and “preserve the Union,” which he believed still existed even though the southern states had already seceded. Overall, I think Lincoln’s attitudes and action were consistent until the brutalities of the war became more apparent. By this time Lincoln knew that slavery needed to be abolished entirely, or at least in the lands of rebellion (Emancipation Proclamation).
Abraham Lincoln saw America with only one option when dealing with slavery. Slavery should be abolished everywhere or it should be allowed anywhere, there was to be no split between the union. In his famous address “A house divided” he warns that “a house”-(being the union)-“divided against itself can not stand.” In his words he spelled out the issue of slavery only being allowed in certain states and the tension it was causing on Capitol Hill. This tension was tearing the country apart, leading to what Lincoln feared the most. The South on the other hand would be perfectly content to leave the union peacefully to keep slavery, but Lincoln, determined to keep the union together, sent down the army. Though he was against it, Lincoln saw America with only one option regarding slavery: All for it or all against it, there is no split.
ReplyDeleteBefore Lincoln swore into office in March, most of the south had succeeded. The south’s intentions were to leave peacefully and live in harmony as two separate countries, but Lincoln had other plans in mind. As soon as he took office, he began to pull together an army. Just a month after he became president, the attack on Fort Sumter began the Civil War. His speech “A house divided” predicted that the union wouldn’t be able to thrive half slave and half free. Yet he also stated that he wouldn’t see the union dissolve or the house fall. Lincoln’s initial intention when sending the troops to the rebelling south and launching America into the bloodiest war ever fought on American soil wasn’t ending slavery, but to keep the union together. As soon as Lincoln took office, he took action. Abraham Lincoln would not see the Union fall and if it took war, than so be it.
1. Lincoln felt that America had only two options when it came to dealing with slavery to prevent the Union from dissolving; she can choose to either be a nation where slavery is legal or slavery is outlawed throughout all states. To add, Lincoln had no intent to interfere with slavery in the South, but was averse to its spread to new territories seeing slavery as a blight on the Republic. Lincoln’s perspective contrasts with that of the South’s who believed that the expansion of slavery can preserve the South’s political power and way of life. The south, through their secession from the Union and formation of the Confederate States of America, believed that America could function as two separate states.
ReplyDelete2. Before his inauguration, Lincoln had no intention to interfere with slavery in the South believing that slavery would die out if contained, but was against slavery’s expansion feeling that it would be a blight on the Republic.. Lincoln held out that slave states could not leave the Union by its own action as he was adamant in preserving the Union. Just after Lincoln’s inauguration, the battle of Fort Sumter preceding the Civil War broke out resulting in Lincoln’s change in attitude and response to quell the rebellion. Lincoln decided then that slavery must be oppressed throughout America as he consistently maintained that the Union must not fall.
1.President Abraham Lincoln believed that if the country were to survive, slavery would have to be lawful everywhere, or nowhere at all. He believed that the "government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free." One of the main reasons the South seceded was because they thought that Lincoln was going to abolish slavery when he entered office. Although Lincoln was had a problem with the morality of slavery, he never said he was going to abolish it. He just knew that the country could not be divided for much longer. He wanted stop the spread of slavery, but he didn't say that he was going to abolish it. He hoped that he could stop the spread of it, which would lead to slavery's "ultimate extinction."
ReplyDelete2. Contrary to popular belief, Lincoln was not "colorblind" as many would think. When entering the White House, he did not intend to abolish slavery. He just wanted to contain it to the states that already had it. He thought that by containing it, it would eventually lead to its extinction. After the secession of the South, and the bombardment of Fort Sumter, he knew he must quell the rebellion. He knew that one side or the other had to win, and if the the country were to survive, slavery would have to be lawful in all states or be on the road to its abolishment. The North won, and Lincoln abolished slavery, but this did not make him "colorblind." He had problems with the morality of slavery, but did not think that blacks should have the right to vote or be equals with whites. He did what he had to do to allow his country to survive.
1. Abraham Lincoln’s view of the issue of slavery in the United States is expressed best in his “A House Divided” speech. Lincoln explains that the country will not survive made up of half slave states and half free states. For Lincoln, there were two options; an entirely slave country, or an entirely free country. Although he did not directly support slavery, Lincoln believed that many abolitionists were too radical in their approach. Lincoln’s view of slavery basically boiled down to this; whether we endorse slavery or not, all states should be alike in there position on the subject. In any other case the country will collapse. The secession of the south was what Lincoln wanted the least. The south thought they could survive on their own by seceding from the Union, while Lincoln supported the idea that we should all stay together. His first priority was to preserve the Union, not to abolish slavery.
ReplyDelete2. Lincoln strongly expressed the idea that a house divided could not stand. He wanted the Union to stay together more than anything else. Lincoln’s intention to keep the union together was consistent throughout his presidency. His idea to contain slavery to only the areas it already existed continued throughout his presidency as he rejected any actions towards the expansion of slavery in the western territories. As the Civil War progressed, Lincoln knew that only one side could win and this would determine whether the country was all slave states or all free states. The preservation of the Union was always Lincoln’s first goal; the Civil War and the abolition of slavery were just steps in the process of preservation.
1. Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the greatest presidents in American history. While he was president he was faced with a difficult challenge. Lincoln did not like the idea of slavery expanding to the west. he also did not like having the house divided. either slavery is abolished every where or it remains in all parts. in the speech, " a house divided" he cautions that a house divided "cannot stand alone." Lincoln also was firm in wanting a house that did not cease, but stay united. The south however, did not like the idea of abolishing slavery. they did not mind formind a different union of their own and continuing their personal and business lives with slavery being a part of it. But Lincoln only wanted one resoltuion, which was either the abolition of slavery or everyone accepting slavery.
ReplyDelete2.As i stated earlier, Lincoln wasn't happy about the western expansion against slavery and leave it untouched in the areas that it had already been going on. Before taking inauguration Lincoln hoped that slavery in the south would contain itself and slowly dwindle. lincoln wanted to preserve the union and refused to compormise on the extension of slavery. the republicans believed that the south would not secede if he was elected president. But as tensions increased, lincoln realized that the war was inevitable. during the civil war, lincoln realized that containing slavery was not the right thing to do and ended slavery with the emancipation proclomation.
1. In Abraham Lincoln's famous "A House Divided" Speech he presents his opinion on the controversial issue of slavery; that the nation "cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free." Originally, Lincoln's goal was not to abolish slavery but to simply prevent the further expansion of it towards other states. However the South believed if slavery's expansion was prevented and if Lincoln was elected to office, he would create voting rights and equality among white and african-american populations. Although Lincoln wanted to prevent slavery's expansion, he, like the South, viewed abolitionists as radical and didn't believe in equal rights for african-americans. When the South seceding from the Union and created the Confederate States of America, Lincoln's primary goal was to preserve the Union.
ReplyDelete2. Abraham Lincoln's attitude and view before and after his inauguration remained fairly constant. Prior to his inauguration his two main goals were the preservation of slavery and the end of slavery's expansion. After his inauguration and the secession of the South Lincoln, he still was determined to preserve the union. However he realized "that a house divided against itself cannot stand," and thus slavery either had to be abolished in it's entirety or legal in all states. In addition, the attack on Fort Sumter made it clear to Lincoln that the preservation of the Union would sadly have to be a bloody one and thus engage in war. As the war progressed Lincoln's view on the issue of slavery started to alter more and more, eventually leading him to believe in the need for the abolition of slavery (Emancipation Proclamation).
Lincoln’s main goal as he entered his presidency was to preserve the Union. This involved solving the issue of slavery. Lincoln wanted to allow the institution to remain intact in the southern states, but to be banned in the north and in the western territories. More important than that, he wanted the people and the government to make a decision and stick to it--that would be the only way that the Union would remain intact. The states of the South wanted slavery to be legal everywhere. Slavery was a huge part of their economy and they felt they could not afford to be free states. Also, these states knew that if slavery was legal in less than half of America, there would be very little strength to keep it in place. While both sides realized the need for a permanent solution, their goals for this decision were very different.
ReplyDeleteLincoln had always been against the ideals of slavery. But, while running for president, he made it clear that his goal was to prevent the spread of slavery into new territories. He wanted to please the southern states, but he did not want to extend an institution that he did not agree with. More importantly, Lincoln wanted to preserve the Union. His focus was on coming up with an agreement that would stabilize the Union and prevent a split. Once the south had seceded, he realized that it would be difficult to negotiate, but Lincoln could go on his own agenda without worry of offending them. With the Civil War in progress, he focused more on the overall abolishment of slavery and trying to reunite America.
Facing the most disregarded problem by the preceding presents, Lincoln was able to emancipate slavery with the view of fighting for the Union. Although already divided he knew that as a whole the states would need to end slavery or legalize it. Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” He believed that disunity would create weak territories. Meanwhile the South opposed because slavery was the base of their economy. Many southerners believed it was their constitutional right to secede. Although they believed that the Confederacy was a legitimate government, they were unaware of the limitations they were creating. Lincoln believed in the Union so they could move forward as a whole.
ReplyDeleteLincoln wanted to maintain the Union especially since the South had seceded. When first inaugurated he reassured southerners by not interfering with the controversy over slavery. Instead he discouraged the expansion of slavery and believed that it would eventually dissolve in contained states. He encouraged boarder states to outlaw slavery but was not an abolitionist. Although his opinion did not change through out his presidency, Fort Sumter changed his position. After the attack his choices put him in the place to abolish slavery to stop the Union from collapsing. He began to apprehended secessionists and focused on military and political aspects. His mission had always been to reunite the Union but throughout his presidency the cost for unity became greater.
1. Abraham Lincoln believed that America only had two options pertaining to slavery. The whole nation would have to “become all one thing or all the other,” there was no in between. His views are best stated in his “A House Divided” speech: “Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it …. or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States….” This goes hand in hand with his opinion about the secession of the South. If everyone can get on the same page then there will be no need for the southern states to leave the Union. Lincoln had to work through what was arguably one of the biggest rifts in America’s history.
ReplyDelete2. Lincoln’s attitude and actions before and after his inauguration remained consistent. Throughout his presidency, spanning from 1861 to 1865, he strongly felt that a house divided could not stand. He worked and tried to mediate between the South (who felt that slavery fueled their whole economy) and the North (who felt that slavery was immoral and should be illegal). Initially he didn't succeed (the South seceded and a Civil War ensued) he focused on the abolishment of slavery and reuniting the fractured nation.
1) During this time period in American history, there were two types of people, those for the continuation of slavery and those for its abolishment. For Abraham Lincoln, there was no way to walk a line in between these two arguments and a position had to be made on where he stood. Initially, Abraham Lincoln believed only in the abolishment of slavery in western territories and new states. He wanted a united country, whether it be with or without slavery was up to the people of the union. As the states started to secede and the civil war broke out, he mad a stronger stance. The people of the south argued that it was legal to secede over the issue of slavery. Abraham Lincoln was unhappy with this because his ultimate goal was to preserve the union and in the end he was successful in accomplishing this.
ReplyDelete2) Before his inauguration as president, Abraham Lincoln held a very unconvincing stance on slavery. He believed that he should not interfere with with slavery in the south, but also keep slavery from being legal in the new western territories. All of this changed once Abe Lincoln was elected president and states began to secede. He was almost psychic in his prediction of expectation that "it (the house) will cease to be divided." Once the civil war broke out, Abe Lincoln's sole goal was to preserve the union and to be able to do this he took a strong stance against slavery, even going to lengths of emancipating all of the slaves in lands of rebellion (the south).