What was Abraham Lincoln's view of slavery when he was first elected president?
He would allow slavery only in border states and the western territories.
He would ban slavery on American soil by convincing the South it was wrong.
He would allow slavery to continue in the South to prevent a war.
He would end slavery as soon as possible, even if it meant going to war.****
To determine Abraham Lincoln's view of slavery when he was first elected president, we can look into primary sources such as his speeches and writings during that time. One significant source is the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, which occurred during his campaign for the Illinois Senate seat in 1858.
During these debates, Lincoln made his views on slavery clear. While he did not outright state that he would ban slavery on American soil, he did express his belief that it was morally wrong and should not be allowed to expand into new territories. He argued that slavery should be contained and eventually put on the path to extinction.
One notable statement from the debates was Lincoln's declaration that "a house divided against itself cannot stand," referring to the growing tension between the North and the South over the issue of slavery. This statement indicates his belief that the nation could not continue to exist half-slave and half-free.
Furthermore, in his 1860 Cooper Union speech, Lincoln emphasized that the Founding Fathers' intent was to contain slavery within its existing boundaries. He argued against the notion that the Constitution protected the expansion of slavery, stating that it was not the intention of the framers to spread slavery across the country.
Based on these sources, it becomes clear that Abraham Lincoln's view of slavery when he was first elected president was to gradually end slavery, even if it meant going to war. Therefore, the correct answer is: "He would end slavery as soon as possible, even if it meant going to war."