Lincoln Primary Sources

Note: These materials were current at the time of the event. For up-to-date materials, check the Downloads page.

With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition
Teacher Institute Materials

With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition commemorates the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the nation’s revered sixteenth president. The following links and resources can help students explore the life, times and accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln through the analysis of primary sources.

Analysis Tools

How to Use Primary Sources (PDF, 245 Kb)
Map Analysis Tool (PDF, 55 Kb)
Music Analysis Tool (PDF, 55 Kb)
Political Cartoon Analysis Guide (PDF, 9 Kb)
Primary Source Analysis Tool (PDF, 26 Kb)
PSI Graphic Organizer (PDF, 19 Kb)
Questions for Box Exercise (PDF, 12 Kb)
The Library of Congress for Teachers (PDF, 245 Kb)
Why Use Primary Sources (PDF, 243 Kb)

The resources in this primary source set are intended for classroom use. If your use will be beyond a single classroom, please review the copyright and fair use guidelines.

Click on a thumbnail image to view the original resource. Click on the caption below the image to view the bibliographic record. Click on the download link to bring a resource to your desktop for viewing, listening, saving or printing.

Documents

First Inauguration

Printed text with
emendations in the hand
of Lincoln

PDF (765 Kb)

First Inaugural Address
of Abraham Lincoln

PDF (57 Kb)

The inaugural procession
at Washington passing
the gate of the Capitol
grounds

PDF (341 Kb)

Inauguration of Mr.
Lincoln, 4 March 1861

PDF (174 Kb)

Second Inauguration

Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865, in Lincoln's hand PDF (420 Kb)	Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln PDF (37 Kb)	Lincoln taking the oath at his second inauguration, March 4, 1865 PDF (602 Kb)	Crowd at Lincoln's second inauguration PDF (251 Kb)
Lincoln's second inaugural PDF (732 Kb)	Abraham Lincoln's last reception PDF (129 Kb)	Washington, District of Columbia. Crowd at President Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration (line of black soldiers guarding street) PDF (695 Kb)

Emancipation

First Draft of the Emancipation Proclamation PDF (235 Kb)	Emancipation Proclamation (preliminary version) PDF (787 Kb)	Photograph copy of President Abraham Lincoln's draft of the final Emancipation Proclamation PDF (749 Kb)	Letter in which Lincoln explains choices PDF (463 Kb)
Emancipation Proclamation; January 1, 1863 PDF (38 Kb)	The first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation before the cabinet PDF (737 Kb)	Abraham Lincoln and his Emancipation Proclamation PDF (191 Kb)	President Lincoln, writing the Proclamation of Freedom. January 1st, 1863 PDF (120 Kb)
Emancipation of the slaves, proclamed on the 22nd September 1862, by Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of North America PDF (106 Kb)	An arrival in Camp--under the Proclamation of Emancipation PDF (97 Kb)

Gettysburg

Nicolay Draft PDF (148 Kb)	Nicolay Draft transcription PDF (21 Kb)	Hay Draft PDF (158 Kb)	Hay Draft transcription PDF (19 Kb)
Gettysburg Transcription PDF (34 Kb)	Lincoln's address at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery PDF (278 Kb)	The Gettysburg address delivered by Abraham Lincoln Nov. 19 1863 PDF (162 Kb)	The Gettysburg address; reproduction of Lincoln's first draft of the Gettysburg address; and a lithograph of a portrait of Lincoln by Robert Fawcett PDF (774 Kb)
The Gettysburg address [Chicago, The Lakeside press 1950] PDF (371 Kb)

Maps

Political map of the United States PDF (1.1 Mb)	Historical Geography PDF (526 Kb)	Lloyd's American railroad map PDF (935 Kb)	G. Woolworth Colton's railroad map of Illinois PDF (941 Kb)
Map of the lower Potomac River showing picket lines, January 1862 PDF (570 Kb)

Pockets

Lincoln realia PDF (59 Kb)	Watch fob PDF (91 Kb)	Button PDF (200 Kb)	Pocket knife PDF (84 Kb)
Hankerchief PDF (109 Kb)	Wallet PDF (228 Kb)	Confederate five dollar bill PDF (179 Kb)	Glass lens cleaner and buffer PDF (151 Kb)
Glasses case PDF (120 Kb)	Lincoln's eyeglasses with name on inner stem PDF (270 Kb)	Newspaper clippings PDF (1.11 Mb)

Political Cartoons

Lincoln & Douglas in a presidential footrace PDF (155 Kb)	The sportsman upset by the recoil of his own gun PDF (262 Kb)	"I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest . . . where be your gibes now? --"Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 1 PDF (68 Kb)	Uncle Sam protecting his property against the encroachments of his cousin John PDF (297 Kb)
Abraham's dream! --"Coming events cast their shadows before" PDF (130 Kb)	The national game. Three "outs" and one "run" PDF (165 Kb)	A job for the new cabinet maker PDF (283 Kb)	Lincoln's Last Warning [Pres. Lincoln about to cut down tree (slavery) - warning a man to come down from the tree] PDF (111 Kb)

Sheet Music

Our National Union March PDF (1.4 Mb)	Paul Dresser's Lincoln, Grant & Lee, or, The war is over many years PDF (1.6 Mb)	Rebellion's Weak Back PDF (1.5 Mb)	Abraham the great and Genl. Grant his mate composed and sung by T. Brigham Bishop and troupe. PDF (1.4 Mb)
600,000 More, We are Coming Father Abraham PDF (1.7 Mb)	The Ship of State. A Republican song PDF (157 Kb)	The nation is weeping PDF (228 Kb)

Whiskers

Grace Bedell to Abraham Lincoln, October 15, 1860. On loan from the Detroit Public Library, Burton Historical Collection (069, Grace Bedell to Lincoln) PDF (267 Kb) Transcription (9Kb)	Abraham Lincoln to Grace Bedell, October 19, 1860. On loan from the Benjamin Shapell Family Manuscript Foundation (070, Lincoln to Grace Bedell) PDF (92 Kb) Transcription (9Kb)	Roderick M. Cole. Abraham Lincoln. Albumen print, ca. 1858. On loan from the Benjamin Shapell Family Manuscript Foundation (071, beardless Lincoln) PDF (50 Kb)	C.S. German. Abraham Lincoln. Albumen print, possibly January 26, 1861. On loan from the Benjamin Shapell Family Manuscript Foundation (072, bearded Lincoln) PDF (24 Kb)
Grace Bedell to J. E. Boos, May 8, 1918. On loan from a private collector (091, Bedell to Boos, May 8, 1918) PDF (473 Kb)