Good morning! I'm having difficulty with this question on my practice sheet, and I wanted a second-hand opinion, any help is appreciated.
Read this excerpt:
One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. 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.
1. How does Lincoln convey the idea that the federal government's position on slavery before the war was reasonable and measured?
A: He depicts the federal government as merely wanting to act within its rights to limit slavery, not abolish it. (I don't think it's this one)
B: He hints that rebels wanted to use the slavery issue to disrupt the nation's unity, creating two separate countries. (I think it's this one because of the last sentence in the paragraph)
C: He describes those in favor of slavery as insurgents seeking to expand slavery's presence. (I sort of think it's this one, also because of the last sentence in the paragraph)
D: He provides statistics on the nation's population trends about the quantity and location of slaves. (I don't think it's this one)
Thank you!
I disagree with your choice of B. Think about it. What does that last sentence say? That the government cannot do MORE than to restrict the expansion of slavery? Think about it.
(Sorry for the late response)
So, the last sentence is saying that the government wants to limit slavery, but not completely get rid of it. Due to the fact that if the government cannot do more than to restrict the expansion of slavery, then surely it cannot fully abolish either?
Based on the given excerpt, option B is the most fitting answer to the question. Lincoln conveys the idea that the federal government's position on slavery before the war was reasonable and measured by hinting that rebels wanted to use the slavery issue to disrupt the nation's unity, creating two separate countries. This can be seen in the last sentence of the excerpt, which states, "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." This suggests that the rebels sought to preserve and expand the institution of slavery, while the government only aimed to restrict its territorial growth.
Good morning! Based on the given excerpt, I can help explain how to arrive at the correct answer.
To determine how Lincoln conveys the idea that the federal government's position on slavery before the war was reasonable and measured, we need to carefully analyze the provided information. Let's break down each answer choice:
A: He depicts the federal government as merely wanting to act within its rights to limit slavery, not abolish it.
Although the excerpt mentions that the federal government wanted to restrict the "territorial enlargement" of slavery, it does not explicitly state that they aimed to limit it rather than abolish it. Therefore, this choice is not supported by the given information.
B: He hints that rebels wanted to use the slavery issue to disrupt the nation's unity, creating two separate countries.
This answer choice seems to align with the excerpt. The phrase "To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war" suggests that the rebels wanted to maintain and expand slavery, resulting in the division of the Union. This choice reflects Lincoln's portrayal of the rebels' intentions.
C: He describes those in favor of slavery as insurgents seeking to expand slavery's presence.
The excerpt does refer to those in favor of slavery as "insurgents" and highlights their desire to strengthen and extend the interest of slavery. This choice aligns with Lincoln's portrayal of those supporting slavery as seeking to expand its presence, which could be seen from the last sentence of the paragraph.
D: He provides statistics on the nation's population trends about the quantity and location of slaves.
Although the excerpt mentions that "One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it," it does not provide detailed statistics but rather an overall observation. Thus, this choice is not supported by the given information.
Based on this analysis, it seems that answer choice B: "He hints that rebels wanted to use the slavery issue to disrupt the nation's unity, creating two separate countries" is the most accurate interpretation of how Lincoln conveys the federal government's position on slavery before the war as reasonable and measured.
I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.