Abraham Lincoln, speech, June 17, 1858. See W. O. Stoddard's Life of Lincoln

A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free.

— Abraham Lincoln on Government

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free." in the context of "Abraham Lincoln, speech, June 17, 1858. See W. O. Stoddard's Life of Lincoln" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Government" (Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations: Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 329-35.) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Abraham Lincoln

About Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.