Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point

Lehrman implies that Lincoln's antislavery behavior began in While it is true that Lincoln's rhetoric changed—as Lehrman points out—from Whig political philosophy to antislavery activism, Lincoln was antislavery throughout his entire life, as his work in the Illinois General Assembly and, more specifically, in the U. Overall, Lehrman does an excellent job parsing Lincoln's words, especially as he emphasizes that the Declaration of Independence became the bedrock upon which Lincoln built his philosophical and political reasoning The book could have been improved by printing the text of the Peoria speech prior to this chapter rather than relegating it to an appendix.

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Chapters 5 and 6 take the reader beyond Peoria and into the aftermath of the Nebraska law. Lehrman explains to readers how the important points of the Peoria speech continued to reappear in Lincoln's criticism of the Dred Scott decision, in his campaign speeches of , in his debates against Stephen Douglas in , and in the campaign for the presidency. Slavery versus freedom was the rhetoric—beginning at Peoria—that Lincoln incoporated into most, if not all, of his public speeches. Chapter 7 emphasizes how Lincoln's rhetoric from Peoria found its way into the presidency.

Again in great detail Lehrman examines Lincoln's speeches and correspondence that show reverence for the Declaration of Independence, a theme that began at Peoria and concluded with the Thirteenth Amendment and the end of slavery , Peppered with long quotations, this chapter also covers previously studied ground.

While occasionally noting the Peoria speech, Lehrman is less convincing in this chapter than in the and beyond chapters as the extension of slavery was overshadowed by the dissolution of the Union. Lincoln at Peoria concludes with a summary of his argument, a chapter on what historians had said about the speech, the full text of the speech, and an odd filler of a comparison of Lincoln and Douglas. Much of this appendix-like material seems unnecessary and almost as though Lehrman is deliberately overwhelming the reader to prove his point.

That is the main shortcoming of the book; Lehrman makes a convincing argument, but it is lost in so much superfluous information.

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Vaudeville performers once wondered "Will it play in Peoria? If it succeeded in Peoria, it should succeed everywhere. Of course, Lincoln did not "test" his speech in Peoria; it had been tested in Springfield, Winchester, and Bloomington, refined in Peoria, and further improved in speeches throughout and beyond. The Peoria speech stood out because it combined for the first time Lincoln's expansive knowledge of the history of slavery legislation with his innate ability to use logic and humor to create an overwhelming argument against the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Lehrman's well-researched and finely annotated book will be the definitive book on this speech.

But the book could have been better. The chronology meanders, making the flow disjointed. Jan 15, William Monaco rated it really liked it Shelves: I thought the book relied a little too much on quotes from Lincoln scholars, but it was well written otherwise and very informative.

Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point - Lewis E. Lehrman - Google Книги

Mar 02, Craig Swartz rated it it was amazing. If you are a true Lincolnphile, then this book is for you. I thought I knew a lot about the man, but I didn't know the extent and lengths he took to begin preparing himself for his true life's work. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of would energize Lincoln and eventually catapult him into the national limelight a full four years before the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point

The Peoria speech of is everything and Lehr If you are a true Lincolnphile, then this book is for you. The Peoria speech of is everything and Lehrman expertly guides you through the historic events, places and people that culminates with Lincoln's speech in Peoria.

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I highly recommend this book for the Lincoln history buff. And as a further note, the reader can't help but compare how these extraordinary gentlemen prepared and conducted themselves in real debates as compared to the sideshows of today that attempt to masquerade as such.

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Jun 15, Naomi rated it really liked it. Fantastic read, but be prepared for a very, very dry read. It took me forever to get through this book but it was a read that I knew I had to do to understand Lincoln. Oct 24, Wyatt Rydzik rated it it was amazing.

Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point, by Lewis E. Lehrman

A very long book, not in pages but as afar as to how long it takes. Its is very factual and full of information. If just interested in history, or doing any sort of report this book would be wonderful for you! Oct 11, Bob Croft rated it it was amazing. Lucid analysis, the politics, law, and Lincoln's thought and development. If you are interested in history, folk lore or news stories about the greater Peoria area, then please join the Will It Play In Peoria discussion group: Apr 08, Dan rated it it was ok Shelves: Got about halfway through.

The reading seemed rather repetitive. It probably could have been written well in half the space. Nov 21, Sam Motes rated it really liked it.

Digs into the events prior to the Peoria speech and then show the progression of Lincoln's case for emancipation after the speech. The book examines the seminal Peoria speech and the historical context in which Lincoln delivered it. While some may argue that Lincoln underwent a transformation upon assuming the presidency in, the book s author Lewis Lehrman contends, The great divide between the statecraft of his presidential years and his early legislative years originates with the speech at Peoria in The book emphasises the unmistakable wholeness of character, genius, and enterprise to Lincoln s public life from to Lincoln s comprehensive antislavery case made at Peoria inspired his subsequent speeches, public letters, and state papers.

The Peoria speech is also Lincoln s primary statement about the nature of early American history and its peculiar institution of slavery. All of his arguments opposed any further extension of slavery in the American republic, founded, as he argued, upon the Declaration of Independence. That all men are created equal, with the inalienable right to liberty, was, for Lincoln, a universal principle that Americans must not ignore.

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The author of this book insists that Lincoln believed America must get right with the Declaration of Independence. In , the centennial year of the Declaration, the great black abolitionist, Frederick Douglass summarised Lincoln s achievement: Admitted to the Illinois Bar in , having served four terms in the State Legislature and a single term in Congress , Abraham Lincoln had substantially withdrawn from politics between and During these five years, his Springfield law practice prospered.