Read or revisit Abraham Lincoln’s notes made for preparing his acceptance speech for the Republican Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1858.  Then look at  the image titled “The Political Quadrille.  Music by Dred Scott”. This cartoon is a parody of the 1860 presidential election, highlighting the impact of the Dred Scott decision on national politics. Research this image further (a recommended source would be the Library of Congress) and using your insights and understandings write a reflective essay addressing the following questions and referencing sources that have been used in this unit as well as through your own research. Your essay should include a response to the following questions:

• What did Lincoln mean when he said, “ A house divided against itself cannot stand.”  
• What might Lincoln see as the fundamental or “real question?”  
• Why did Lincoln refer to Kansas and Dred Scott? How does The Political Quadrille image relate to the political climate surrounding the speech?
• What historical context or evidence do we have that supports Lincoln’s statement that, given the situation in 1858, slavery was bound to become legal everywhere or nowhere?