Which event is famously associated with Abraham Lincoln's dedication to self-government and human rights?

The Gettysburg Address stands out as a pivotal moment that highlights Abraham Lincoln's commitment to self-government and human rights. Delivered during the American Civil War in 1863, this speech was meant to honor the soldiers who had fallen at the Battle of Gettysburg and to reaffirm the principles of liberty and equality that were foundational to the United States.

In his address, Lincoln famously proclaimed the notion that the nation was founded on the principles of democracy, emphasizing that it was “conceived in Liberty” and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. This powerful statement not only served as a tribute to the sacrifices made by soldiers but also reinforced the idea of a government that is accountable to its people and is fundamentally about the protection of human rights.

The other options, while significant in American history—such as the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed enslaved individuals in Confederate states, or the Constitutional Convention, which established the framework for the U.S. government—do not encapsulate Lincoln’s ideals regarding self-government and human rights in the same poignant manner as the Gettysburg Address. The Louisiana Purchase, a real estate transaction that doubled the size of the United States, relates more to territorial expansion than to principles of governance and rights. Thus, the