Lincoln believed that whites were fundamentally superior to blacks and was opposed to them holding office, the right to vote, and the right to serve on a jury in the years before the Civil War. ... Before tackling the slavery issue, one must understand Lincoln's political views with respect to the Constitution, which was the cause for Lincoln's idea of a gradual extinction of constitution and not an immediate emancipation, which separated him from abolitionists, and explained why he was a part of the more moderate Whig Party. ... After Lincoln was elected to the state legislature of ...

• Word Count: 2007
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Graduate