Program Dates: July 20–25, 2025
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Image: Photograph of Abraham Lincoln by Alexander Gardner, 1863. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute, GLC00245)
This lecture and discussion will explore the early life of Abraham Lincoln, from his birth in a log cabin through meeting Mary Todd. It will explore the personal obstacles he overcame, including his lack of formal education and loss of loved ones, and conclude with a discussion of his famous 1838 Lyceum Address.
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This lecture and discussion will explore the infamous Dred Scott decision to see how Lincoln’s response to it helped push his Springfield neighbors toward a greater understanding of equality.
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The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most important and yet most misunderstood documents in American history. This lecture will explore Lincoln’s path to emancipation and that edict’s significance.
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This lecture and discussion will explore Lincoln’s suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
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November 8, 1864, stands out as one of the most remarkable days in American history. Never before—nor since—had the nation held a presidential election in the midst of a terrible civil war. This lecture and discussion will explore the momentous steps that took place in the lead-up to this pivotal election, ranging from the battlefield to the nominating conventions to the creation of mechanisms for absentee voting.
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