Chapter 29FRITZ PICKED around the main points of his lesson in his history of work class, focusing on the steam engine. He knew he would call home when class was over. Until then, he studied the traffic. Finally, the ninth graders brought him back. Their enthusiasm for their tournament overflowed and animated their discussion of the Reconstruction Amendments.
“Mr. R, if slavery is wrong today, it was wrong then. And if Lincoln was really against slavery, why did he wait to free the slaves?”
“Good question, John. When he was elected, the South feared that he would free the slaves. He did, but not right away. In the beginning, he wanted to avoid the breakup of the country most of all. Lincoln waited until he thought the time was right to make it happen.”
“So, even for Lincoln, slavery was
