#406 Visions of “Freedom”: Stephens vs. Lincoln

Left: First photographic portrait of Abraham Lincoln as president, 1861; Right: Alexander Stephens, photo undated. Both from Wikimedia Commons.

Introduction:
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Review the “Pre-1861” and “1861” sections of the companion timeline for Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary series: http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/civil-war/war/timeline/

Based on this timeline (along with input from our previous class readings and discussion) write 1-2 sentences to summarize the cause of the Civil War using a multicausal statement.

Writing multicausal statements:

• Monocausal statement: I slept through class because I was exhausted.
• Basic multicausal statement: I slept through class because I was exhausted, my alarm clock was broken, and my friend forgot to wake me up.
• More advanced multicausal statement: I slept through class mainly because I was exhausted while my broken alarm clock and my friend forgetting to wake me up also played a role.

Lincoln and Stephens:

This activity is not intended to be structured as a debate. Instead, we will focus on asking good questions and collaboratively analyzing the text.

First, we will break up into two groups, with each group responsible for one of the two readings. You will have several minutes to consider the prepared questions below and think about other possible themes that came up for you in your reading.

Prepared questions for Lincoln’s First Inaugural:

• In what way did Lincoln clearly indicate that the responsibility for any future bloodshed would fall upon the South?
• Why might many abolitionists have been disappointed with the theme of Lincoln’s Inaugural?
• How did Lincoln explain his legal authority and constitutional obligation?

Prepared questions for Stephens’ Cornerstone Address:

• What “great truth” is the cornerstone of the Confederacy’s new constitution?
• According to Stephens, could slavery survive under the “old” U.S. Constitution?
• How is this new “system” based “upon the same broad principles of perfect equality” as the “old” U.S. Constitution?

Next, each group will take turns posing questions—and then listening carefully—to the other group. The group not in the spotlight should begin with the prepared questions (above), though is encouraged to add elaborating questions or any other questions you might like to ask.

Finally, we will debrief together as a class.

• How do Lincoln and Stephens define the balance between liberty and authority differently?
• Why is Lincoln arguing that the current tension and any future conflict is not about slavery?
• Which vision of freedom do you think is more relevant today? Why?