This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines several years of Abraham Lincoln's life, including his election to the U.S. Congress in 1846; his opposition to the Mexican-American War, articulated in his "Spot" Resolutions; and his support of abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia and opposition to allowing slavery to spread into the territories. The lecture also examines Lincoln's views on religion and discusses religious and cultural tensions and trends during these years, including the Second Great Awakening, the Mormon War, and anti-immigrant and -Catholic sentiments. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Three: Springfield, the Law, and the Whig Party, 1837-1843."

To view this documentary, scroll to "Multimedia Slideshow," and select "Congress and the Mexican War, 1844-1849."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, details several years in Abraham Lincoln's life, including his acquisition of a law license, his support of moving Illinois's capital, his continued political campaigning, and his marriage to Mary Todd. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Two: Indian Fighting and Politics in New Salem, 1831-1836."

To view this documentary, select "Springfield, the Law, and the Whig Party, 1837-1843" under "Multimedia Slideshows."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, follows Abraham Lincoln's early life, including his family's arrival in Illinois, his first political campaign, his participation in the Black Hawk War, his time as a postmaster and surveyor, his election to the state legislature, and his beginning to study law. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part One: Boyhood and Migration, 1809–1830."

To view this documentary, select "Indian Fighting and Politics in New Salem, 1831-1836" under "Multimedia Slideshows."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, follows Abraham Lincoln's early political career, from established Midwestern lawyer to elected President of the United States. It focuses on the heightening tensions between North and South that served as the background to Lincoln's rise to the Presidency, and ends with the beginning of the Civil War. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography: Introduction, Part One."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines the role of women in 19th-century Illinois. It looks at the development of the idea of separate gender spheres of influence—work for men and the home for women; the application and adaptation of this idea in the frontier; the developing power of women in pushing for social reform; the status of Native American and African-American women; and the gender perceptions of Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, follows the progression of political events from the end of the 18th century to Abraham Lincoln's election as president. It considers particularly the formation and dissolution of political parties and the rise of tensions between North and South.

Michael F. Holt of the University of Virginia looks at the development of a second two-party political system in antebellum U.S. and the role the system played in balancing and unifying the nation. Holt also looks at the dissolution of this second system through loss of public faith in the Democratic and Whig parties as they stood and in the development of the Republican and Know Nothing parties in response to new social forces (such as immigration and the rise of Roman Catholicism).

To view this clip, select "The Second Party System in American Politics" under "Political Development Video."

Michael F. Holt of the University of Virginia examines the use and acceptance of women in politics in the antebellum Whig and Democratic parties, focusing on Whig encouragement of the idea of women as the "moral center" of families.

To view this clip, select "Women's Roles in Whig Politics" under "Political Development Video."

Gerald Prokopowicz of the Lincoln Museum very briefly describes the role of politics as entertainment in the antebellum U.S.

To view this clip, select "Antebellum Politics as Popular Entertainment" under "Political Development Video."