While the conflict over slavery was a factor in the Civil War, the abolition of slavery did not become a stated objective until Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect on January 1, 1863. Now, to commemorate the 150 year anniversary of the Proclamation, here is a new, unabridged audio recording of that historic document, freeing the slaves held in the still Confederate controlled states. Heralded as one of America's most...

One of the most significant and far-reaching events in U. S. history, the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 sharpened and brought to a head a number of crucial questions concerning slavery, states' rights, the legal status of blacks, and the effects of the Dred Scott decision. The debates were held as part of the campaign for the Illinois senatorial seat, pitting the two-term incumbent, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, against the lesser-known Abraham Lincoln,...

From the “Four score and seven years ago” that every American schoolchild knows to personal notes and dozens of memorable letters, debates, and speeches from a critical time in this nation's history, here is a remarkable collection of Lincoln's writings. Through them, we can follow the sixteenth president's development from country lawyer to healer of a wounded nation.

Arranged thematically, The Words of Abraham Lincoln

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Abraham Lincoln was undeniably one of the most influential politicians in American history. In this collection of letters, speeches, and other writings by Lincoln, listeners can gain a uniquely intimate perspective on the sixteenth president of the United States. From personal letters to friends and family to Lincoln's speeches as an Illinois state legislator and a United States Representative, from his first inaugural address to the Emancipation...

A collection of speeches and letters of Abraham Lincoln, with brief introductions that provice historical background. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white archival photographs.