summary: In chapter 3, we discover how each of the Team of Rival characters climbed the political ladder. The chapter takes us through the mid-1840s. We also learn something about politics and the political system during this time period. Politics was important to many Americans, and as Kearns writes, “for many young men in the nineteenth century, politics proved the chosen arena for advancement." But we must remember some history—politics was reserved for white males. Granted, property qualifications had largely disappeared by the mid-1840s. But women in the United States were not even supposed to be in same room where a political discussion was going on!
What we can also unearth about antebellum politics are the issues—what was important to the voting public in the 1830-1840s? While you are reading, keep an eye out for issues and interests (what groups were for and against certain policies and programs): urban-rural; North-South; etc. These issues will continue to come up in the book. If you remain diligent on this, you can become an antebellum political expert yourself by the time you finish. You will be able to talk to your partner and/or kids about internal improvements, tariffs, panics, and other bygone political topics!
Discussion Questions
1. What are internal improvements and why was that issue so important in the 1830s and 1840s? What part(s) of the country were in favor and what section(s) were opposed? Why?
2. What were some other political issues discussed in this chapter? hint: several were mentioned in Seward’s campaign for governor.
3. What were Lincoln’s three main policy issues: he stressed these three ideas during his early campaigns.
4. What was the protective tariff and why would a politician in 1840 support it?
5. There is a fascinating passage on p.77 (hardback edition) when Seward and his wife traveled to the South. Kearns writes that when “crossing into Virginia, the Seward’s entered a world virtually unchanged since 1800.” Why was the South so economically backward by 1840 while the North was thriving?
6. Why does Kearns spend so much time on Lincoln’s relationships with women? He did appear to have some trouble making up his mind didn’t he? Or was he just a typical young man with the same problems and concerns as young men today? Does the author make too much of Lincoln's relationship woes?
7. Kearns talks about Lincoln’s empathy and what an important trait it was. What does it mean, why might it be important in politics, and why don’t we talk about empathy today? Isn’t it important anymore? Should it be?
8. Toward the end of the chapter, we learn that Chase and Edwin Stanton met and became friends during this period (Stanton will become very important later in the book). It is their correspondence that is fascinating:
-Stanton to Chase: “no living person has been offener in my mind…for, more than once, I have dreamed of being with you."
-Stanton to Chase: your letter “filled my heart with joy; to be loved by you, and to be told that you value my love is a gratification beyond my powers to express.”
There are more of these letters. Why and when do you suppose men stopped writing like this to each other? If these letters were common in the antebellum era (and they were), what might have changed the way men expressed their feelings?
Other Misc. Points
The painting is by George Caleb Bingham (1811-1879). Bingham painted wonderful scenes of everyday life in antebellum America. This 1849 painting is entitled "Country Politician." If you have some time, go online and take a look at some of his other works. There are some very accurate and lively depictions of day-to-day life. I will continue to post some of my Bingham favorites.
Chapter 1-summary: Kearns introduces the characters: Lincoln, Seward, Chase, and Bates. All had obvious political strengths and weaknesses, and each believed he could somehow win the 1860 Republican presidential nomination. When reading this chapter, think about each candidate’s political strategy. What did each need to happen in order to win the nomination? And remember, campaigns and conventions haven’t really changed that much. Candidates today need many of the same attributes: good geographical and ideological positioning, party support, background, and some charisma. The primary difference now is the massive amounts of money that candidates must raise.
Discussion Questions
1. When he decided to seek the presidential nomination in 1860, was Lincoln a national figure? Was he the most prominent Republican running for that office?
2. Who was the “favorite” for the 1860 nomination and why?
3. It appears Seward needed a first-ballot victory at the 1860 Chicago convention? What does that mean exactly? We still have political conventions today—when was the last time we witnessed anything but a first-ballot nomination? (Seward's picture is below)
4. What did Seward mean when he referred to a “higher law” concerning slavery? Why did this statement hurt him with Western voters?
5. Why was Lincoln so well-situated to “steal” the 1860 nomination?
6. In February 1860, Lincoln gave his now famous Cooper Union speech in New York City. It was considered a make-or-break moment for his candidacy. Why might it have been so important for Lincoln to deliver a successful speech in that particular venue at that time?
Other Misc. Points
Thurlow Weed: without a doubt, the greatest name in U.S. political history. Wouldn't you all agree?
The photograph of Lincoln above is dated from the summer of 1860. He did not grow his famous beard until after the election.
Chapter 2-summary: Kearns introduces us to the time period (most refer to this era as antebellum America, which literally means 'before the war'). And in order to truly understand these characters, we need to know about the society they lived in. Personal and social issues like family problems, frequent deaths (Salmon Chase lost 3 wives), class conflicts, friendship, love, and relationships—these are all topics that historians now examine in detail. There was a time when the profession did not study these types of subjects. But with more diversity in universities and a new “bottom-up” approach that began in the 1960s, scholars now investigate “regular” people in history, not just elites. And we are all the better for it as we can now understand how people lived, what might have been important to them, and how society itself operated and functioned.
Discussion Questions
1. Why was the West (now the Midwest) so important politically in 1860? How and why did Western interests differ from Eastern and Southern interests? In other words, what did each section care about?
2. Why did so many young men (and families) move West during this era? What was going on in the East that might have helped spur this migration?
3. Why was slavery banned in most of the North after the American Revolution? Why didn’t the Southern states do the same?
4. What was education like in antebellum America? Did everyone get an equal chance?
5. Salmon Chase seems especially tough on himself--even reprimanding himself for reading fiction! Are there hints to his character flaws in this chapter—on how he would get along with others? Think about how he differs from Lincoln, Seward, and Bates.
6. Think about Lincoln’s upbringing and how it compared to the others. What was his childhood like? His education? His family and friends?
7. What traits were young men like Lincoln supposed to have? Did his father care if Abe was educated and a good reader? Why not?
8. During this time period, why did men often sleep together in the same bed? It happened in motels, inns, and even in military barracks. Why did they think it normal in the 1850s while some today wince at the idea? What does that say about historical interpretation?
9. The Lincoln-Ann Rutledge love story—does it seem accurate or could it be a myth? If you have a little extra time you might enjoy reading about this fascinating historical mystery. This article by distinguished historian John Y. Simon is a wonderful examination of the Rutledge controversy. It is well-written and offers insights into how historians investigate these kinds of murky issues. And by the way, I will have more to say about historian John Y. Simon in a later post. 
Team of Rivals:The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin is Concordia's 2009-10 Book-of-the-Year. I am particularly excited because Abraham Lincoln and the U.S. Civil War are topics which I have studied my entire life. In fact, I grew up in Springfield, Illinois-Mr. Lincoln's hometown.
It is with great pleasure that I have been asked to contribute to Concordia's Book-of-the-Year activities. I thought I could best serve by providing readers with historical information about the book and the time period. In addition, I will be using this blog to post questions and chapter summaries that might help initiate discussions both online and around campus.
If you are not already familiar with the life and career of Abraham Lincoln, you are in for a real treat. And the lessons concerning Mr. Lincoln's "political genius" are as relevant today as they were in 1861.
So I hope this blog will help you understand the book just a little better. And please use the comment section of the blog to ask questions, make comments, and start discussions. This might be both fun and educational!
summary: In chapter 3, we discover how each of the Team of Rival characters climbed the political ladder. The chapter takes us through the mid-1840s. We also learn something about politics and the political system during this time period. Politics was important to many Americans, and as Kearns writes, “for many young men in the nineteenth century, politics proved the chosen arena for advancement." But we must remember some history—politics was reserved for white males. Granted, property qualifications had largely disappeared by the mid-1840s. But women in the United States were not even supposed to be in same room where a political discussion was going on!
