On June 17, 1858, Republican lawyer Abraham Lincoln spoke to a state convention in Springfield, Illinois. Here is part of his speech:
"A house divided against itself cannot stand.
I believe that this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.
I do not expect the Union to dissolve; I do not expect the house to fall;
But I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or
all of the other".
Short Essay Writing Question:
What did Lincoln mean when he said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”? Do you agree? Explain. Knowing what you already know about the Civil War, do you think Lincoln’s word were an accurate prediction of events to come? Why or why not?
