Lander “Lincoln and Darwin is a seamless parallel examination of two great men whose complementary ideas changed the trajectory of human thought and fundamentally altered the course of history This is an impressive book: accessible and readable, and yet so thoughtful and penetrating as to compel the reader periodically to close the cover and think about what it says.” —jason emerson, author of Lincoln the Inventor John Smalley southern illinois university press 1915 university press drive mail code 6806 $32.95 usd isbn 0-8093-2990-5 isbn 978-0-8093-2990-8 Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander teaches history at TASIS American School in England He is the author of Roman Stone Fortifications: Variation and Change from the First Century A.D to the Fourth and Peter Labilliere: The Man Buried Upside Down on Box Hill “Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln had more in common than their birth on the same day Both abhorred slavery, and their positions on race shared significant similarities This stimulating book offers new insights on these two nineteenthcentury giants whose legacy still shapes our world today.” —james m mcpherson, author of Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief “A superbly sympathetic discussion of the core beliefs of two of the greatest minds of the nineteenth century, linked in their fight against the twin monsters of scientific racism and religious bigotry In lucid prose and copious historical detail, Lander uses Darwin to shed light on Lincoln and Lincoln to shed light on Darwin As Lander demonstrates, their humanity and intelligence shine forth even more brightly when seen in juxtaposition A compelling book.” —christoph irmscher, author of The Poetics of Natural History LINCOLN&DARWIN Separated by an ocean but joined in their ideas, Lincoln and Darwin acted as trailblazers, leading their societies toward greater freedom of thought and a greater acceptance of human equality This fascinating biographical examination brings the mid-nineteenth-century discourse about race, science, and humanitarian sensibility to the forefront using the mutual interests and pursuits of these two historic figures www.siupress.com Jacket design by Mary Rohrer Lander cover mech.indd Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander carbondale, il 62901 Printed in the United States of America LINCOLN &DARWIN Southern Illinois University Press born on the same day in 1809, Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were true contemporaries Though shaped by vastly different environments, they had remarkably similar values, purposes, and approaches In this exciting new study, James Lander places these two iconic men side by side and reveals the parallel views they shared of man and God While Lincoln is renowned for his oratorical prowess and for the Emancipation Proclamation, as well as many other accomplishments, his scientific and technological interests are not widely recognized; for example, many Americans not know that Lincoln is the only U.S president to obtain a patent Darwin, on the other hand, is celebrated for his scientific achievements but not for his passionate commitment to the abolition of slavery, which in part drove his research in evolution Both men took great pains to avoid causing unnecessary offense despite having abandoned traditional Christianity Each had one main adversary who endorsed scientific racism: Lincoln had Stephen A Douglas, and Darwin had Louis Agassiz With graceful and sophisticated writing, Lander expands on these commonalities and uncovers more shared connections to people, politics, and events He traces how these two intellectual giants came to hold remarkably similar perspectives on the evils of racism, the value of science, and the uncertainties of conventional religion 6/15/10 1:51 PM Lander “Lincoln and Darwin is a seamless parallel examination of two great men whose complementary ideas changed the trajectory of human thought and fundamentally altered the course of history This is an impressive book: accessible and readable, and yet so thoughtful and penetrating as to compel the reader periodically to close the cover and think about what it says.” —jason emerson, author of Lincoln the Inventor John Smalley southern illinois university press 1915 university press drive mail code 6806 $32.95 usd isbn 0-8093-2990-5 isbn 978-0-8093-2990-8 Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander teaches history at TASIS American School in England He is the author of Roman Stone Fortifications: Variation and Change from the First Century A.D to the Fourth and Peter Labilliere: The Man Buried Upside Down on Box Hill “Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln had more in common than their birth on the same day Both abhorred slavery, and their positions on race shared significant similarities This stimulating book offers new insights on these two nineteenthcentury giants whose legacy still shapes our world today.” —james m mcpherson, author of Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief “A superbly sympathetic discussion of the core beliefs of two of the greatest minds of the nineteenth century, linked in their fight against the twin monsters of scientific racism and religious bigotry In lucid prose and copious historical detail, Lander uses Darwin to shed light on Lincoln and Lincoln to shed light on Darwin As Lander demonstrates, their humanity and intelligence shine forth even more brightly when seen in juxtaposition A compelling book.” —christoph irmscher, author of The Poetics of Natural History LINCOLN&DARWIN Separated by an ocean but joined in their ideas, Lincoln and Darwin acted as trailblazers, leading their societies toward greater freedom of thought and a greater acceptance of human equality This fascinating biographical examination brings the mid-nineteenth-century discourse about race, science, and humanitarian sensibility to the forefront using the mutual interests and pursuits of these two historic figures www.siupress.com Jacket design by Mary Rohrer Lander cover mech.indd Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander carbondale, il 62901 Printed in the United States of America LINCOLN &DARWIN Southern Illinois University Press born on the same day in 1809, Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were true contemporaries Though shaped by vastly different environments, they had remarkably similar values, purposes, and approaches In this exciting new study, James Lander places these two iconic men side by side and reveals the parallel views they shared of man and God While Lincoln is renowned for his oratorical prowess and for the Emancipation Proclamation, as well as many other accomplishments, his scientific and technological interests are not widely recognized; for example, many Americans not know that Lincoln is the only U.S president to obtain a patent Darwin, on the other hand, is celebrated for his scientific achievements but not for his passionate commitment to the abolition of slavery, which in part drove his research in evolution Both men took great pains to avoid causing unnecessary offense despite having abandoned traditional Christianity Each had one main adversary who endorsed scientific racism: Lincoln had Stephen A Douglas, and Darwin had Louis Agassiz With graceful and sophisticated writing, Lander expands on these commonalities and uncovers more shared connections to people, politics, and events He traces how these two intellectual giants came to hold remarkably similar perspectives on the evils of racism, the value of science, and the uncertainties of conventional religion 6/15/10 1:51 PM Lincoln&Darwin /DQGHU)URQWPDWWHULQGG $0 BLANK LINCOLN &DARWIN Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander Southern Illinois University Press Carbondale and Edwardsville /DQGHU)URQWPDWWHULQGG $0 Copyright © 2010 by the Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 13 12 11 10 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lander, James Lincoln and Darwin : shared visions of race, science, and religion / James Lander p cm Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN-13: 978-0-8093-2990-8 (cloth : alk paper) ISBN-10: 0-8093-2990-5 (cloth : alk paper) ISBN-13: 978-0-8093-8586-7 (ebook) ISBN-10: 0-8093-8586-4 (ebook) Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865—Philosophy 2. Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865—Religion 3. Darwin, Charles, 1809– 1882—Philosophy Darwin, Charles, 1809–1882—Religion 5. Presidents—United States—Biography 6. Naturalists—Great Britain—Biography I Title E457.2.L226 2010 973.7092—dc22 2009041678 Printed on recycled paper The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1992 ∞ /DQGHU)URQWPDWWHULQGG $0 For Sarah, who has been so patient and encouraging /DQGHU)URQWPDWWHULQGG $0 BLANK And on this day, that is also the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth, it’s worth a moment to pause and renew that commitment to science and innovation and discovery that Lincoln understood so well —President Barack Obama, addressing the Abraham Lincoln Association, in Springfield, Illinois, on 12 February 2009 You must allow me to thank you heartily for the very great pleasure which it has in many ways given us I always thought well of the negroes, from the little which I have seen of them; and I have been delighted to have my vague impressions confirmed, and their character and mental powers so ably discussed —Charles Darwin to former Union general Thomas Wentworth Higginson, praising his book Life with a Black Regiment, 27 February 1873 /DQGHU)URQWPDWWHULQGG $0 ... 978-0-8093-2990-8 Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander teaches history at TASIS American School in England He is the author of Roman Stone Fortifications: Variation and Change... 978-0-8093-2990-8 Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander teaches history at TASIS American School in England He is the author of Roman Stone Fortifications: Variation and Change... PM Lincoln&Darwin /DQGHU)URQWPDWWHULQGG $0 BLANK LINCOLN &DARWIN Shared Visions of Race, Science, and Religion James Lander Southern Illinois University Press Carbondale and