Question

1.Which quotation from the speech best develops the central idea that slavery is an unfair institution?


a.“Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword,…”


b.“The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all.”


c.“It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged.”

d.“To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it.”

Answer 1

c.“It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged.”


This quote shows that Lincoln thinks slavery is unfair. He is saying here that it's strange for men to ask God for help when they've been reaping the benefit from other men's sweat and pain.

Answer 2

c.“It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged.”

In this quote he says, it is strange that a person would ask God (who is just) to help him get bread (or any sustenance/wealth) from another man's hard work. He then says that we should not judge others for then we will be judged ourselves. This entire quote is an allusion to the Bible, both the Book of Genesis and Matthew 7:1.  By saying that it is strange for one man to benefit from another man's hard labor, he is showing that he views slavery as an unfair institution.