Fuller HouseThe "house divided against itself" (6) isn't just an effective way to start off Lincoln's speech. It's the central metaphor going on in this whole shebang. The "house," of course, is th...

Rise Of The MachinesSimilar to the concept of the "house divided," Lincoln uses the term "machinery" a few times to illustrate the forces at work beyond the control of him and his audience. We're n...

Come With Me To A World Of Pure ImaginationSometimes having an imaginary conversation with people who aren't there is frowned upon, especially if you do it in public. (Although if you want to get a...

The Big OneAbraham Lincoln and slavery aren't often linked in the study of history—oh, wait. Strike that, reverse it.Since the "house divided" that was the United States was primarily divided (oh...

No Pollution In The ConstitutionIf we had a penny every time a politician mentioned the Constitution in a speech, we'd probably be living on our own private island by now. Sadly, we missed that inv...

Q-TipsThere's something about being asked a question by a public speaker—it's like you can't help but try and answer it in your head. Sometimes, the speaker will do it because he or she knows tha...