March 10, 2014
March 10, 2014
After running into Stephen Douglas’ tomb in Chicago, I was thinking that it has been too long since our last visit to Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield. So on our way back to Chicago we made a quick stop.
We first catch most of the park film. It is very good at laying the groundwork for Lincoln’s presidential run. In 1854, Stephen Douglas sponsored the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed new states to self-determine slavery. Fearing this would allow slavery to expand into the North, the new Republican Party was formed and Lincoln made a run at Douglas’ Senate seat. During the campaign Lincoln and Douglas held a series of seven famous debates, the last in my birth town of Alton. Interestingly, at that time, US Senators were not elected by the people, but by the state legislature. The Republican Party won the popular vote, but the Democrats won more seats. Douglas retained his seat but Lincoln gained nationwide attention.
The ranger tour was interesting even the second time. The house is filled with period furniture but only a few of Lincoln’s. Mary Lincoln lived in Chicago after his assassination and lost much of their furniture in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
We first catch most of the park film. It is very good at laying the groundwork for Lincoln’s presidential run. In 1854, Stephen Douglas sponsored the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed new states to self-determine slavery. Fearing this would allow slavery to expand into the North, the new Republican Party was formed and Lincoln made a run at Douglas’ Senate seat. During the campaign Lincoln and Douglas held a series of seven famous debates, the last in my birth town of Alton. Interestingly, at that time, US Senators were not elected by the people, but by the state legislature. The Republican Party won the popular vote, but the Democrats won more seats. Douglas retained his seat but Lincoln gained nationwide attention.
The ranger tour was interesting even the second time. The house is filled with period furniture but only a few of Lincoln’s. Mary Lincoln lived in Chicago after his assassination and lost much of their furniture in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
posted by Mike and Aimee at 3:20 PM
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