President Lincoln and the Sioux Indian uprising in Minnesota in 1862

[Anita]

This is a great topic, especially in terms of how to educate students re: President Lincoln and the Sioux Indian uprising in Minnesota in 1862. I found this on the Lincoln Cottage site: Mr. Anderegg is an Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

"Lincoln’s commitment to creating a legal standard out of a very troubling situation demonstrates that, although Lincoln was both president and a politician, he was also still at his core a lawyer who had to deal with the political and cultural constraints that existed in 1860s America. Ultimately Lincoln’s handling of the Dakota Conflict trial is another example, like the Emancipation Proclamation, of Lincoln’s ability to understand what he can and cannot do in a trying situation where there is no perfect solution."

As suggested in this forum, understanding historical context, that there's often no perfect solution, and then to stress how far we've come would serve all students well. Lincoln said "that this country shall know a new burst of freedom." I am privileged to have seen many such bursts in my lifetime.