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The Origins and Purpose of Lincoln’s “House-Divided” Speech

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The Best American History Essays on Lincoln
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Abstract

The chronology of Abraham Lincoln’s sudden rise from relative obscurity to a presidential nomination includes no more decisive date than June 16, 1858. At Springfield, Illinois, late that warm Wednesday afternoon, the Republican state convention unanimously designated him as its “first and only choice for the United States Senate,” and he responded in the evening with his famous “House-Divided” speech. Either of these two events would have made the day significant; together they constituted a major turning point in Lincoln’s career.

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© 2009 Organization of American Historians

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Fehrenbacher, D.E. (2009). The Origins and Purpose of Lincoln’s “House-Divided” Speech. In: Wilentz, S. (eds) The Best American History Essays on Lincoln. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-61556-4_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-61556-4_7

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-230-60914-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-230-61556-4

  • eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)

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