Summary of the Argument
Abraham Lincoln’s speech focuses on the issue of slavery in the United States. He treats the country as a divided house over the issue. The speaker dreams of a country where every person will be free. Lincoln highlights the factors and obstacles that have led to this complexity.
He examines the purpose of various documents such as the Nebraska doctrine. According to the speaker, the American Constitution had made slavery illegal. However, the American states had different opinions regarding this issue of slavery. Abraham is talking about the government’s inability to address slavery. He believes that his political party will overcome the obstacle and make the United States a free nation.
The speaker summarizes his ideas by explaining why it would be wrong to have a divided country. This is a major concern because the Southern States encourage slavery, while the Northern States do not. The speaker believes that his party will play a significant role in addressing the problem of slavery. He also tells his people that any division or misunderstanding over the issue can tear the country apart. Abraham is right because the government has failed to unite its people. This is why he gives his speech the title “House Divided.”
The speaker explains why the issue of slavery continues to separate the nation. The narrator is keen to inform his audience about the danger of conflicts. The disagreements arising from slavery and human sovereignty can affect the country’s economic growth. The speech encourages the Americans (both Southerners and Northerners) to come together and deal with the problem.
Is the Argument Inductive or Deductive?
The speech presented by Lincoln is a deductive argument. A speaker presents a deductive argument using a top-down approach. This is true because the speaker starts his speech from a broad perspective. He begins by identifying the problem of slavery in the United States. After doing so, he goes further to offer two sides to the problem. Abraham Lincoln explains how slavery has left the country divided. The speaker introduces two scenarios to the audience.
He says that the country can either promote slavery or do away with it. These two subtopics help the audience make a distinction between the evils and benefits of slavery. The speech goes further to examine the historical documents that have led to the current situation. This discussion helps the reader understand this issue much better. This explains why Lincoln uses a deductive argument to deliver his message to the audience.
The narrator goes further to analyze the existing facts about slavery in the nation. The speaker quotes various policies to explain why different slave-owning states have continued to support the practice. He also discusses how different politicians and leaders might succeed in the war against slavery. He also highlights the weaknesses of his opponents. He explains how they might not respect the rights and liberties of the citizens. Lincoln concludes his speech by encouraging his people to abolish slavery.
The speaker explains why the country might remain divided if the government fails to address the problem. He offers the best promises to deal with slavery. He explains how different people, such as Roger, Franklin, and Stephen, did not keep their promises. The speaker concludes his deductive argument by saying that the ideals of human freedom cannot coexist with slavery.