Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the greatest presidents in American history. He is known for leading the country through its Civil War, preserving the Union, and ending slavery. Lincoln's leadership during the war and his use of executive powers helped turn the tide in favor of the Union, eventually leading to the abolition of slavery and the preservation of the United States as a single, united country. Lincoln was also known for his strong moral character, integrity, and ability to inspire the nation during difficult times.
Abraham Lincoln's primary goal as president during the Civil War was to preserve the Union. He accomplished this through military strategy, executive powers, and political maneuvering. One of Lincoln's first actions
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He was born at a time when racial prejudice was deeply ingrained in American society, and he grew up in a state (Illinois) where slavery was not allowed, but Black people were still discriminated against. During his early political career, Lincoln held views typical of his time and region, and he did not initially advocate for the abolition of slavery. He believed that slavery was morally wrong, but he also believed that it was protected by the Constitution and that it should be left to the states to decide whether to keep it. However, as the Civil War progressed and the issue of slavery became more central to the conflict, Lincoln's views on race and slavery evolved. He increasingly came to see slavery as the root of the conflict and as the main threat to the country's unity. He also saw slavery as an evil that needed to be eradicated. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared all slaves in Confederate territory to be free, and pushed for the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery. It is also worth noting that Lincoln's views on race were not always consistent, as he held different opinions on how to handle the issues of slavery and the reconstruction of the country after the war. Some of his statements and actions were considered racist by some people of his time and by some historians. However, it is also true that Lincoln's views on race and slavery were more progressive than many of his contemporaries, and his leadership played a crucial role in the eventual abolition of slavery in the United
Just a couple months after Lincoln was inaugurated the Civil War broke out putting Lincoln on the spot to Unify the Confederacy and the Union to eventually end slavery all together. At first doubts about Abraham Lincoln’s ability to lead arose. He seemed to not have much experience in politics or military leadership. Conversely, though he proved to be patient but strong and was a great war planner. Though struggles with finding a good general to lead the union was still at hand, Lincoln’s decisions were good until the end of the war.
The Proclamation of Emancipation stated that "all persons held as slaves" were to be freed in the Confederate states (436). Again, Lincoln relied on his powers as Commander-in-Chief, dictating that the slaves that were to be released only resided in states that were in open rebellion, namely the south, making it a military concern (436). He ignored the Union states and territories, knowing that the Supreme Court would rule it unconstitutional if the states were to sue for recourse, and knowing that the Confederacy could not take the issue to the Supreme Court because they were in open rebellion (436). Once the Civil War was finished, any suit against the Proclamation of Emancipation was made moot by the addition of the Thirteenth Amendment, which categorically and unequivocally forbid slavery. It was a very calculated order that changed the focus of the Civil War and impacted the future of the United
The most noted trait of Abraham Lincoln was his complete honesty. Honesty at his level is unheard of in the political world. It made him somebody that people could trust and admire. He was also very informed about what was happening in the country on a political and social level which made him an approachable and trustworthy leader meaning the American public always respected and believed in Abraham's ideas Lincoln who was also an extremely well thought out and spoken man meant he could speak to people in a particular way that would enable them to feel safe when being spoken to, which was great for influencing and encouraging the armed forces of America and other members of the country.
He had long made clear his opposition to the confiscation and redistribution of land. He believed, as most Republicans did in April 1865, that the voting requirements should be determined by the states. He assumed that political control in the South would pass to white Unionists, reluctant secessionists, and forward-looking former Confederates. But time and again during the war, Lincoln, after initial opposition, had come to embrace positions first advanced by abolitionists and Radical Republicans..... Lincoln undoubtedly would have listened carefully to the outcry for further protection for the former slaves....
Lincoln was confident about his beliefs of the end of slavery especially when he had wrote out a letter to an author but he never sent it. The letter Lincoln never sent stated that Americans traveling thousands of miles only to capture and bring home the African Americans just to make them slaves is brought upon us by the black race (Danoff 49). Lincoln was furious with the author’s statement and retaliated back with sarcasm. After many states had reestablished their state governments or prepared to they were creating state constitutions that abolished slavery (Brands 3). Life was unfair for African Americans, especially those who were free.
Lincoln, as a President, was neither for nor against slavery. According to Professor Clavin, as a stance in his platform, Lincoln had no intentions to interfere with the states’ declared liberties, which included refraining from disturbing the institution that kept blacks in bondage. Furthermore, he ensured many that it was also his intention to abide by Fugitive Slave laws. However, Lincoln understood that it was his duty to make sure that slavery didn’t expand into new states or current free states. With documents like the Northwest Ordinance and the Compromise of 1850, Ken Burn’s mentioned that these notable features threatened the equilibrium of power as more free states were added to the nation.
You can see this in Document B, wherein 1858 Lincoln says this: “I have no purpose . . . to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists . . .” Later on in the same document he also states, “There is no reason in the world why the negro is not entitled to all the natural rights . . . in the Declaration of Independence- the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” While Lincoln was running for president, he promised to leave slavery alone in the South, but he also stays true to his personal morals through his time, that slavery
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most influential people during the Civil war, and may even be integral for it to happen as we know it. This will be about why Abraham Lincoln is one of the most important people to the civil war. There are multiple reasons; three being that he help to inspire soldiers to keep fighting, secondly he created the Emancipation Proclamation which is one of the most important documents during the Civil War, finally his election was the last facter in starting the civil war. The first reason is that he was the person that helped inspire others to keep fighting. During the Civil War Abraham Lincoln gave many speeches and addresses.
Lincoln was also praised for his exceptional speeches and letters as he was a very humble man. Abraham Lincoln also had so many endured challenges he had to face during the civil war. He had to carry generals who were not ready for battle , many assassination threats , and huge losses of soldiers from his union during battle. Lincoln didnt deserve to die because , Even threw all these
During the Civil War , President Abraham Lincoln’s position on the practice of slavery had changed greatly from the start of the war to the end of it. He expresses his views on slavery through a variety of documents: both of his Inaugural Addresses, his letter to Horace Greeley and in the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Through these primary documents Lincoln demonstrates his initial feeling toward slavery as indifferent, for his priority was to keep the nation unified. As the war continued he stuck by his desire to keep the unity of the Union regardless of the state of slavery. By the end of the war, Lincoln called the practice of slavery an “offence” and that God “wills” the removal of its practice.
He realized that “targeting the economic foundation of Southern society” was essential to take down the Confederacy. Lincoln was against slavery and when he realized the superiority Free Labors, he knew slavery did harm to “prosperous system” in North (Uelzo, 2010). Lincoln was in favor of Political Economy. According to “Mr. Lincoln's Economics Primer”, “The wild card that roiled these economic disputes was slavery” (Uelzo, 2010). It were commerce and finance led Lincoln to “his lifelong opposition” to slavery (Uelzo, 2010).
Though Lincoln felt they weren't equal, he believed the Americas founders intended that all men were created with certain rights. He decided to challenge Stephen Douglas a senator, the Supreme Court, and president Buchanan for promoting slavery and declared "a house divided cannot stand". In 1860 the became president a year later the Civil war began. He distributed $2 million dollars from the Treasury for war material; he called for 75,000 volunteers into service without any declaration of war and he arrested and imprisoned suspected confederate sympathizers without a warrant. Lincoln grew up in tough timesI lived a long a or what was considered long happy life, he did some things that he wasn't suppose to but he ended up issuing the Emancipation proclamation on January 1,1863.
Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus and allocated military spending without congressional authorization. Lincoln was willing to do anything he thought was right to win the war. Lincoln’s friend described how he favored “the most vigorous and active measures to bring the war to a speedy close, and totally opposed … any compromise of any kind or character”. Lincoln acted with certainty. Lincoln’s desire to expand the limits of executive power also led him to issue the
Lincoln believed that slavery was an offence. He made it very clear with the emancipation proclamation which was said to free all slaves from rebellious states even if he didn’t have that type of power. Therefore, Lincoln had many ideas for the future and for others to follow and
Over hundreds of years America has had many presidents, some able to complete the tasks at hand, but many were not worthy of leading this nation. President Abraham Lincoln was one of the few who led the United States of America with great strength and courage. Abraham Lincoln was the best U.S. president because he had a great impact on ending slavery and he was one of the greatest natural strategists and leaders of all time. Abraham Lincoln is considered to be America 's wisest president. Abraham Lincoln, "proved to be a shrewd military strategist and a savvy leader during what became the costliest conflict ever fought on American soil."