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Lesson

The Rhetoric of Abraham Lincoln DBQ

Duration
85 min
Grade
9–12
Published
Nov 15, 2020
Political Cartoon of Abraham Lincoln
Use this Lesson in conjunction with the Abraham Lincoln and Emancipation Decision Point to have students analyze Abraham Lincoln's rhetoric throughout his presidency.

Objectives:

  • Students will examine Abraham Lincoln’s views on the American founding as revealed in his rhetoric.
  • Students will analyze to what extent Lincoln’s rhetoric reveals that he considered the Civil War a second American founding.
  • Students will analyze primary source documents by answering comprehension questions.
  • Students will practice answering DBQ essay specific examples from the text.

Materials

Handout A: Document Packet

  • Fragment on the Constitution and Union, January 1860
  • Address at Cooper Union, February 27, 1860
  • First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861
  • Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863
  • Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863
  • Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865

Lesson Components

ActivityRhetoric of Abraham Lincoln Document Packet

A set of six primary source that seek to answer the question to what extent did Lincoln’s rhetoric reveal that he considered the Civil War a second American founding?

Lesson plan

85 minClick a phase to open it

More Information

Students can work individually, in pairs, or small groups as they analyze documents. The final reflection questions should be completed individually.

Standards

Advanced Placement

  • Topic 5.9 · Government Policies During the Civil War
  • Theme · American and National Identity
  • Learning Objective · Unit 5J
  • Historical Development · 5.3.I.B
  • Historical Development · 5.3.I.C
  • Reasoning Skill · Sourcing and Situation
  • Reasoning Skill · Source Claims and Evidence
  • Reasoning Skill · Contextualization
  • Reasoning Skill · Making Connections
  • Reasoning Skill · Argumentation
  • Reasoning Process · Continuity and Change

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