The most famous line in the speech starts off with a quote that isnt even lincolns. Why lincolns house divided speech was so important. Abraham lincolns statement in his 1858 speech that a house divided against itself cannot stand, is an extremely true statement that is as relevant today as it was when he originally stated it in 1858. Abraham lincoln 18091865 delivered the socalled house divided speech on june 16th, 1858, at the illinois republican state convention to an audience of around 1,000. Lincoln wanted to show the us how slavery will split up the united states. House divided speech 1858 log in to see the full document and commentary. The speech created many repercussions, giving lincolns political opponent fresh ammunition. When abraham lincoln was two they moved to nearby knob creek, indiana. His phrase, a house divided against itself cannot stand describes the national problem of the growing conflict between the free states and the slave states. Lincolns nowfamous house divided line, which is drawn from the bible, was actually part of a campaign speech he delivered at the 1858 illinois republican state convention.
House divided speech 1858 from the gilder lehrman institute on vimeo. House divided speech, 1858 the landmark speech which kicked off lincolns campaign for the u. Speech at springfield, illinois 16 june 1858 david zarefsky northwestern university abstract. He was a descendant of samuel lincoln, an englishman who migrated from hingham, norfolk, to its namesake, hingham, massachusetts, in 1638. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original. Life after death experience nde with steve gardipee, vietnam war story one of the best ndes duration. Some sections have been removed, as indicated by ellipses, for space. In accepting the nomination, lincoln delivered one of his most famous speeches, which came to be known as the house divided speech. Lincoln spoke at the close of the republican state convention. House divided essay discuss the relevance today of abraham lincolns statement, a house divided against itself cannot stand. Analysis of abraham lincolns house divided speech essay. When lincoln was nominated to be the candidate of the illinois republican party for u. Lincoln warns that america is becoming a house divided.
Abraham lincoln was practicing rather than making law when the decade opened, but as acts he considered dangerous were passed, he was drawn out of the courtroom and onto convention floors and speakers platforms. Abraham lincolns house divided speech had an enticing effect on the public and influenced their opinions drastically, when it was given in 1858, as mr. Abraham lincolns the house divided speech 1858 the escalating crisis drew a country lawyer back into the political fray. June 16, 1858, at the illinois republican convention. Nov 26, 2019 lincolns nowfamous house divided line, which is drawn from the bible, was actually part of a campaign speech he delivered at the 1858 illinois republican state convention. Easily access essays and lesson plans from other students and teachers. On june 16, 1858, at the illinois republican convention in springfield, abraham lincoln kicked off his bid for the u. The main point on lincoln s speech is that the united. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
House divided cannot stand jermaine morehead herzing house divided cannot stand abraham lincoln, who was a president in the united states, insisted on the saying a house divided cannot stand. For years, the nation had been embroiled in debates over states rights and the expansion of slavery. What is the main purpose of the house divided speech. Abraham lincolns 1858 house divided speech catapults him into the national consciousness with its bold moral assessment of the future of american slavery. House divided speech full text text of lincolns speech. Abraham lincoln delivered the house divided speech in springfield, illinois, on june 16, 1858 after the republican state convention nominated him to run for the illinois senate seat opposite democrat stephen a. President lincoln implemented some very effective arguments and rhetorical devices to create a hypnotic sway in his speech. The nomination of lincoln was the final item of business at the convention, which then broke for dinner, meeting again at. Abraham lincoln delivered this speech after receiving the republican nomination to run against stephen douglas, a popular democratic incumbent, for the u. Ideas from the declaration of independence x all men are created equal x people have rights given to them by god, which include the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness understood to include property. The following fragment, which dates from before the june 1858 republican convention, offers an early formulation of the ideas that lincoln advanced in his house divided speech.
The following text is presented here in excerpted form. Senate candidate abraham lincoln, gave his house divided speech to let the people of america know that being split down the middle based on beliefs on the morality of slavery would not last long, and that eventually the nation would be all one ideal or all another. The most famous line in the speech starts off with a quote that isnt even lincoln s. Lincoln, a house divided, speech text voices of democracy. Abraham lincoln s house divided speech was not a prediction of civil war but a carefully crafted response to the political situation in which he found himself. House divided speech june 16, 1858 lincolns writings. Even lincoln s friends regarded the speech as too radical for the occasion. Douglas, who endorsed popular sovereignty in the kansasnebraska act, and 4 excerpts from an 1854 speech by abraham lincoln, who opposed popular sovereignty in the kansas. Stephen douglas and abraham lincoln, first debate, ottawa, illinois, august 21, 1858. He had won the republican partys nomination as illinois us senator. On the previous day the convention had taken the unprecedented move of naming lincoln their candidate for the senate normally senate candidates were chosen in january when the new legislature convened. The title reflects part of the speechs introduction, a house divided against itself cannot stand, a concept familiar to lincolns audience as a statement by jesus recorded in all three synoptic gospels matthew, mark, luke.
Abraham lincoln was born on february 12, 1809, the second child of thomas lincoln and nancy hanks lincoln, in a oneroom log cabin on sinking spring farm near hodgenville, kentucky. How did abraham lincolns perspective, as showin in his a house divided speech, compare and. Lincoln issued these statements in acceptance of his nomination to run as the republican candidate for a us senate seat in the 1858 election. Even lincolns friends regarded the speech as too radical for the occasion. A house divided against itself cannot stand actually comes from the book of mark 3. The title reflects part of the speech s introduction, a house divided against itself cannot stand, a concept familiar to lincoln s audience as a statement by jesus recorded in all three synoptic gospels matthew, mark, luke. He had always hated the idea of slavery even as a young boy. Abraham lincoln delivered the house divided speech in springfield, illinois, on june 16, 1858 after the republican state convention nominated him to run for the illinois senate seat opposite. Abraham lincolns house divided speech was not a prediction of civil war but a carefully crafted response to the political situation in which he found himself. Abraham lincolns house divided speechrhetorical analysis.
He used this speech to rally republican supporters around what he saw to be the most important issue in the campaign. Buchanan was elected, and the indorse ment, such as it was, secured. How did abraham lincoln s perspective, as showin in his a house divided speech, compare and. Mar 03, 2014 conan visits abraham lincoln presidential museum.
The family then migrated west, passing through new jersey. The main point on lincolns speech is that the united. Jul 28, 2019 speaking to more than 1,000 delegates in an ominous tone, lincoln paraphrased a passage from the new testament. Lincoln gave his house divided speech on june 16, 1858 after winning the republican nomination for the senate in springfield, illinois. We shall not failif we stand firm, we shall not fail. Abraham lincoln was pretty annoyed with how the debate over slavery was going, so when he had a chance to get up and make a political speech, he did not mince words. Lincoln issued these statements in acceptance of his nomination to run as the republican candidate. He predicted that the country eventually would become all one thing, or all the other. Lincoln used formal language and technical terms to create an authoritative tone, which helps the audience be more receptive to his speech. Lincoln introduces the house divided theme in the first section of his speech to illustrate just how bad the situation was in america. Lincoln s nowfamous house divided line, which is drawn from the bible, was actually part of a campaign speech he delivered at the 1858 illinois republican state convention. His father was thomas lincoln and his mother was nancy hanks, both were pioneer farmers. Abraham lincoln s house divided speech notes, test prep materials, and homework help. Abraham lincoln s 1858 house divided speech catapults him into the national consciousness with its bold moral assessment of the future of american slavery.
S 18611865 who brought the union to victory in the civil war. Dec 14, 2014 senate candidate abraham lincoln, gave his house divided speech to let the people of america know that being split down the middle based on beliefs on the morality of slavery would not last long, and that eventually the nation would be all one ideal or all another. The danger of a divided house is a pretty perfect metaphor for lincoln in this case. House divided speech definition of house divided speech at.
On june 16th, 1858, a tall, stately man approached the podium in what would become a defining moment in his political career. Abraham lincolns house divided speech notes, test prep materials, and homework help. Reflecting the beliefs of his party at the time, the opposition to the spread of slavery, he intended to speak of how the nation had slave states and free. The nomination of lincoln was the final item of business at the. We are now far into the fifth year since a policy was initiated with the avowed object and confident promise of putting an end to slavery agitation. It is apparent that lincoln had a mastery of the english language. Abraham lincoln delivered his house divided speech, one of the best known of his career, on june 16, 1858 in the illinois state capitol in springfield. Early life he was born in kentucky in 1809 he was very uneducated through his teenage years because only went to school for 18 months.
Again and again he insisted that the civil liberties of every u. Abraham lincolns house divided speech by corrie byrd on prezi. House divided speech, 1858 the landmark speech which kicked off lincoln s campaign for the u. A house divided 4 abraham lincoln speeches and writings leading advocate of the nebraska bi ll to state his opinion whether the people of a territory can constitutionally exclude slavery from their limits. At milestone documents, we believe that engaging with historys original voices is exciting for students and liberating for. While everettos speech dwelled on the details of the battle, lincoln attempted to give meaning to the events at gettysburg, indeed to the civil war itself, by speaking about the ideals for which he believed the union stood. The house divided against itself speech by abraham. Click here to request a free trial account only available to college instructors primary source readers. Senate he delivered a speech at the state convention on june 16, 1858. House divided speech definition of house divided speech. Occasion purpose evidence argument this speech was given on june 16, 1858 in springfield, illinois upon receiving the republican nomination for senate. Acknowledging the nomination that evening, lincoln delivered what became known as the house divided speechthe name being taken from the opening of the speech.
Based on the issue of slavery, that was a sign of lack of unity among the americans when it had gone to the extent that it was seen as a reasonable. At the age of 49, abraham lincoln had just won the. I do not expect the union to be dissolved i do not expect the house to fall but i do expect it will cease to be divided. If we could first know where we are and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do and how to do it.
House divided speech definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. If abraham lincoln didnt decide to address this issue, perhaps. The house divided speech was an address given by abraham lincoln, later president of the united states, on june 16, 1858, at what was then the illinois state capitol in springfield, after he had accepted the illinois republican partys nomination as that states us senator. Herndon remarked, when i saw senator douglas making such headway against mr. Senate with a speech that would come to be known as the house divided speech. Buchanan was elected, and the indorsement, such as it was, secured.
904 629 478 701 603 1147 834 871 1249 940 1231 1525 1376 682 1056 284 1117 920 82 550 689 200 473 813 960 1205 997 964 135 1430 106 674 715 125 1452 1273 764 561