Tag: Abraham Lincoln

Virginia Republican Wants High School Students to Learn Alternate U.S. History

Virginia delegate Wren Williams (R) recently introduced legislation that, among other things, wants to make certain that high school students in the state have a basic understanding of important historical events in the United States.

It seems likely, however, that Williams could use a history refresher himself,

B. The Board shall, in furtherance of the citizens skills portion of the 5 C’s in the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, incorporate into each relevant Standard of Learning and associated curriculum framework a requirement that each student demonstrate the understanding of:

. . .

3. … the first debate between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass …

Abraham Lincoln On The Know-Nothings

I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be? How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor or degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that “all men are created equal.” We now practically read it “all men are created equal, except negroes” When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read “all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.” When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty — to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy [sic].

-Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Joshua Speed, August 24, 1855