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Primary sourceDocumentDecember 1847

Spot Resolutions

Abraham Lincoln · December 1847

Lincoln's 1847 handwritten resolutions as a congressman challenging President Polk's justification for the Mexican War.

An early political document showing Lincoln's willingness to defy a popular war.

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Handwritten manuscript page in cursive ink on aged paper, with the opening of the Spot Resolutions: 'Whereas the President of the United States, in his message of May 11th 1846...' Underlined words and a small interlined insertion are visible.
Abraham Lincoln, Spot Resolutions, December 1847.

About this source

What it is

This is a handwritten manuscript by Abraham Lincoln, submitted to the United States House of Representatives in December 1847, while Lincoln was a congressman from Illinois.

Why it matters

In these resolutions, Lincoln questioned President Polk's account of how the Mexican War began. It is an early example of Lincoln challenging a popular war and a sitting president, showing his willingness to take an unpopular stand early in his political career.

Look closer

  • What does the handwriting and underlining suggest about how carefully Lincoln prepared this document?
  • Why might a young congressman risk criticizing a war that many Americans supported?
  • What does this document not explain about the reasons for the war?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Abraham Lincoln on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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