ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY
June 16, 1858
Abraham Lincoln Delivers His House Divided Speech
On this day in 1858, Abraham Lincoln Delivers His House Divided Speech upon accepting the Illinois Republican
Party's nomination as Senator. Although Lincoln's campaign against Stephen A. Douglas was unsuccessful, this speech
pointed out the danger of the breakup of the Union due to slavery.
The House Divided Speech turned out to be one of his more famous speeches along with the Gettysburg Address in 1863
and his Second Inaugural Address in 1865. His final public speech was delivered on April 11, 1865 just two days
after the surrender of Robert E. Lee which effectively ended the American Civil War and was meant to strike a
conciliatory tone. Three days later, Lincoln would fall victim to an assassin's bullet.
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