Key moments of change?

• In Lincoln's early political career he voiced a distaste for slavery, but in his law career he is known to have represented slave owners and to have been party in at least one case that forced a woman once held in slavery to be returned to her owner. As Lincoln's career expanded and public sentiment against slavery grew, Lincoln became more vocal about slavery. Lincoln entered into debates against political rival Stephen A. Douglas in the 1850s in regards to slavery, often voicing the opinion that slavery should not be legal in new territories and that an expansion of slavery throughout the nation would be a mistake.

• Lincoln was a loyal Whig during the majority of his political career, but found the Whig party changing in the 1850s. In time, Lincoln began to align himself with the new Republican party because their values were more like his own. This included the belief that slavery was wrong and should not be allowed to continue.

• As he ran for president, Lincoln continued to voice his opinions against slavery. These opinions included the fact that slavery should be abolished, but Lincoln proposed that the end of slavery should come slowly. Lincoln also embraced the idea of colonization, the idea of sending freed slaves to other countries where they would be given land on which to make a new life for themselves.