Question

“The real issue in this controversy—the one pressing upon every mind—is the sentiment on the part of one class that looks upon the institution of slavery as a wrong, and of another class that does not look upon it as a wrong.”
— Abraham Lincoln, 1858
what does Lincoln identify as the main issue dividing the nation?



Why would this disagreement make political compromise difficult?



Predict: Based on this quote, do you think compromise in the 1850s was more likely to succeed or fail? Briefly explain.

use simple words and be brief

Answer 1

1) Lincoln says the country is split over whether slavery is morally wrong. One side sees it as a wrong; the other does not.

2) That makes compromise hard because it’s about deep moral beliefs, not just policy. If people think something is right or wrong, they won’t accept halfway solutions that betray their core values.

3) Predict: Compromise was more likely to fail. The disagreement was moral and growing fiercer, so give-and-take solutions were unlikely to satisfy either side.