LIR COURSE #4 ABRAHAM LINCOLN: THE SPEECHES
QUESTIONS FOR LINCOLN’S SPEECH DISCUSSION GROUP
PEORIA SPEECH
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What is the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854?
How does Lincoln use the establishment of the Northwest Territory to support his view?
Why is Lincoln opposed to slavery?
Why does he support its continuation where it already exists in the states?
What is Lincoln’s view of the South and blacks? Why?
How does the Nebraska-Kansas Act violate the principle of self-government?
What advantage does the Constitution give the slave states in the House of Representatives?
What does Lincoln mean by the argument of “necessity” in regard to the existence of slavery?
According to Lincoln, what steps did the Founding Fathers take to gradually get rid of slavery?
What role does the Declaration of Independence paly in Lincoln’s argument?
How is the justification for slavery and the Divine Right of Kings similar?
LINCOLN’S SENATE NOMINATION SPEECH
1. What was Lincoln referring to with his analogy of a “House Divided”?
2. What is Lincoln’s view of “Squatter Sovereignty”?
3. What were the three main provisions of the Dred Scot decision?
4. Who are the people Lincoln views as being involved in a conspiracy to force slavery on the
whole country?
5. What evidence does he use to support his claim?
6. What is the basis for the Southern view of the extension of slavery into the territories?
THE COOPER UNION ADDRESS
1. According to Lincoln, what was the attitude of a majority of the Founding Fathers in regard to
slavery in the Territories?
2. What parts of the Constitution did the supporters of slavery in the Territories use to support
their position?
3. How does Lincoln refute that argument?
4. Does Lincoln believe that future generations were bound by the past?
5. What was meant by the term “Black Republicans”? Why is it a pejorative term?
6. How does Lincoln refute the Southern charge that the Republicans are purely a sectional
party?
7. How does Lincoln refute the charge that the Republicans are “revolutionary” in regard to
slavery?
8. Who was John Brown? Why would southerners use his actions against the Republican Party?
9. What would be the Southern response to a violation of their right to own slaves?
10. What does the Constitution say regarding the existence of slavery in the Territories?
11. How does Lincoln refute the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dred Scot that the Constitution
protects the right of slavery in the Territories?
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12. How does Lincoln respond to the Southern threat to break up the Union if a Republican is
elected president?
13. What does Lincoln tell his audience the South wants the ant-slavery movement to do to save
the Union?
14. What is his response to their demands?
15. What does Lincoln say is the true method of determining whether slavery should be allowed
to expand into the territories? (Lines 466-475)
16. What is the nature of the “duty” of those who think slavery is wrong?
THE FIRST INAUGURAL ADDRESS
1. How does Lincoln attempt to assure the Southern people that they have nothing to fear from
his administration in regard to slavery?
2. What is his view of attempts by ant-slavery forces to violate provisions of the Constitution
which protect slavery?
3. What is Lincoln’s view pf secession? What arguments does he use to support this view?
4. What does Lincoln say his duty is? How does he say he will conduct himself in performing this
duty?
5. Who is the audience for the rest of the speech?
6. According to Lincoln, has the federal government denied any right listed in the Constitution?
What would be a legitimate response if the majority denied the minority of a constitutional
right?
7. How is the Constitution constructed to prevent the violation of minority rights?
8. What is one of the weaknesses of any constitution? Why must majority rule prevail as a result
of this?
9. What is the “precedent” set by secession?
10. What does Lincoln call “secession”? Why is minority rule unacceptable?
11. What is the attitude toward the fugitive slave clause and the foreign slave trade now? How
would it change if the two sections of the country separated?
12. What is Lincoln’s view of a proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit the federal
government from interfering with slavery in the states? Why would he support this?
13. What is his advice to his “Countrymen”?
14. Why does Lincoln point out the differences in the responsibilities of the secessionists and
himself?
15. What is the purpose of the final paragraph? What is meant by the phrase, “the better angels
of our nature”?
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