Should political leaders be judged based on their earlier choices? This is history.

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Should political leaders be judged based on their earlier choices? This is history.
Lincoln grew up in a world in which slavery was a living presence and where both deeply entrenched racism and various kinds
of antislavery sentiment flourished. Until well into his life, he had only sporadic contact with black people, slave or free. In
later years, he said almost nothing about his early encounters with slavery, slaves, and free African-Americans. Nonetheless,
as he emerged in the 1830s as a prominent Illinois politician, the cumulative experiences of his early life led Lincoln to
identify himself as an occasional critic of slavery. His early encounters with and responses to slavery were the starting point
from which Lincoln's mature ideas and actions would later evolve.
Eric Foner is a history professor at Columbia University
Transcribed Image Text:Lincoln grew up in a world in which slavery was a living presence and where both deeply entrenched racism and various kinds of antislavery sentiment flourished. Until well into his life, he had only sporadic contact with black people, slave or free. In later years, he said almost nothing about his early encounters with slavery, slaves, and free African-Americans. Nonetheless, as he emerged in the 1830s as a prominent Illinois politician, the cumulative experiences of his early life led Lincoln to identify himself as an occasional critic of slavery. His early encounters with and responses to slavery were the starting point from which Lincoln's mature ideas and actions would later evolve. Eric Foner is a history professor at Columbia University
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