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    Abraham Lincoln's Peoria speech was delivered on October 16, 1854, in Peoria, Illinois.

    This
    speech was important in American history since it gave a checkpoint where Abraham Lincoln
    became a more prominent figure against the expansion of slavery in the United States. The
    reason why he gave the Peoria speech is his rival, Stephen A. Douglas, forced the
    Kansas-Nebraska bill through Congress which would open up a large portion of the
    Trans-Mississippi West to the expansion of slavery, and Lincoln, like many other northerners,
    was very outraged at this. He called for a return to the principles of the Missouri Compromise.
    Lincoln also pointed out the moral injustice of slavery and warned of its threat to democracy.
    This showed how slavery was a moral issue that Lincoln greatly disagreed with. He also thought
    that slavery “makes the United States look ridiculous in the world”
    The Lincoln-Douglas Debates were a series of seven debates held in 1858 between
    Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, both competing for a U.S. Senate seat from Illinois.
    The debates centered on the issue of slavery, particularly its expansion into new territories.
    Lincoln states that “I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social
    and political equality of the white and black races--that I am not nor ever have been in favor of
    making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with
    white people.” The Lincoln-Douglas debates showed that Lincoln did not think that
    African/African-American people were socially and politically on the same level as whites, but he
    was still dedicated to containing slavery by using the principles of the Declaration of
    Independence. He believed that enslaved people still deserved the right of life, liberty, and the
    pursuit of happiness, like any white man.
    The Emancipation Proclamation, provided by President Abraham Lincoln in January of
    1863, during the American Civil War, declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-held
    territory were to be set free. It stated that “the Executive government of the United States,
    including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of
    said persons.” The proclamation showed Lincoln's recognition of slavery as a moral evil that
    needed to be addressed. It also showed a significant departure from his earlier belief that
    African/African-American people were not socially or politically the same as whites and showed
    his willingness to pursue change that directly challenged the institution of slavery.
    Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address is a reflection on the causes and
    consequences of the conflict. In this speech, Lincoln shared his vision for post-war reconciliation
    and healing. He acknowledged the tragedy of the war, expressing humility and a sense of
    responsibility for the nation's suffering. He also spoke to the moral complexities of slavery,
    suggesting that the war may have been a punishment for the sin of slavery, and calling for
    efforts to "bind up the nation's wounds" and achieve lasting peace. This showed how Abraham
    Lincoln had overall become an advocate against slavery throughout his journey as president.
    He not only wanted to create peace after the war but took accountability on behalf of the United
    States. Overall, he became an ally against the slavery movement, and his mindset and way of
    thinking changed throughout the years. Going from simply not wanting to expand slavery to
    helping abolish it once and for all.
    Works Cited

    American Battlefield Trust.

    www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/abraham-lincolns-emancipation-proclamation

    . Accessed 9 Feb. 2024.

    "Lincoln's Evolving Thoughts On Slavery, And Freedom." NPR, 11 Oct. 2010,

    www.npr.org/2010/10/11/130489804/lincolns-evolving-thoughts-on-slavery-and-freedom

    . Accessed 10 Feb. 2024. Interview.

    National Park Service. 14 Oct. 2020,

    www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/lincoln-second-inaugural.htm. Accessed 9 Feb.

    2024.

    St. Olaf College. www.stolaf.edu/people/fitz/COURSES/debates.htm.

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