House Divided Speech: Resources

Based on census data, this map shows you a number of different statistics between 1790 and 1860. You can see the number or percentage of enslaved persons, as well as all free people. It's a great way to see why there was such tension and outrage in the North.

Roger B. Taney's alma mater has a great site dedicated to the Civil War and the antebellum era. The site includes transcriptions of primary sources, calendars so you can see all the historical things that happened on a particular day in history, and digital classrooms on things like the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. It's a one-stop-shop for Lincoln-related material.

This Steven Spielberg movie is actually about Lincoln as president trying to get the 13th Amendment passed. It's probably the most historically accurate depiction of him on film, though, especially since Daniel Day-Lewis is so method he probably built himself a log cabin while filming.

Adapted from a play, this movie includes one of the surprisingly few depictions of the Lincoln-Douglas debates on screen. Lincoln gives the lines about "a house divided against itself" as part of the debates, instead of during the Republican convention. But hey, he does say it.

A short reflection on the anniversary of the speech, including a bit about William Herndon and Lincoln's buddies.

MacPherson is one of the more famous historians out there today, and his main book Battle Cry of Freedom is all about the Civil War and the lead-up to it. As a part of this interview, he mentions the "House Divided" speech and his feelings towards Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.

Sorenson was a special adviser to JFK, and counseled that president on his speeches. In the process, he learned a special appreciation for Lincoln's speech-writing ability, which he talks about in this article. Although it doesn't focus a lot on the "House Divided" speech, it makes some interesting points about Lincoln as an orator.

If you don't feel like reading about the "House Divided" speech, you can watch this video instead. A historian from Dickinson College goes through the speech, explaining the historical context as he goes on. It's not a dramatic reading, so don't turn here if you want to be swept away in the poetry of Lincoln's words.

Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. has a series of videos where schoolchildren perform the "House Divided" on the stage of the theatre. There's something pretty adorable about watching third graders take turns, giving a range of drama and emotion as they go through Lincoln's words.

Have you ever seen Abraham Lincoln without a beard? Well, here's your chance! This would have been approximately what he looked like when he gave the "House Divided" speech.

Here's a nice close-up of the "Little Giant" who gave Lincoln so much trouble.

Here's the room where Lincoln gave the "House Divided" speech. It's not as large as you'd imagine.