James McPherson’s collection of essays discusses the claims for and against Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War as revolutionary. McPherson holds that both of the aforementioned subjects are revolutionary in nature. The Civil War, he suggests when it is not being looked at through “presentism” is by nature a social and political revolution. Abraham Lincoln, he explains, is a conservative revolutionary; Lincoln’s purpose was always to preserve the union through whichever means presented them as necessary including abolitionism. McPherson explains how the war was revolutionary by dissecting Lincoln’s Presidency in regards to his actions and seemingly contradictory ideologies that led him to the emancipation, unconditional surrender, and constitutional …show more content…
Lincoln had never professed a personal acceptance of the institution of slavery. However, he had established, that if it were necessary to keep the union intact he would not dissolve slavery. When he was sworn in office Lincoln took an oath to the Constitution that protected slavery, and recited his responsibility as president to preserve the nation. The modification in means originated from his position as Commander and Chief of the military during wartime. Although his national strategy was to protect the union, the military strategy that he used to achieve it involved the abolition of slaves and using freed black men to fight alongside the Union soldiers. By this time, the war had shifted from a “limited” war to a “total” war with the purpose to over throw the social, economic, and political format of the southern government and culture. In the transition to a total war, it became clear that Lincoln was no longer to be considered conservative but rather more radical on the issue of slavery. McPherson, however, asserts that he was a “conservative revolutionary” in that he began conservatively, and under the circumstances—of both sides requiring total surrender--- was pushed toward a more radical standpoint to achieve his primary focus of saving the union. His radical stance ultimately led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment to create an
During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency at the start of the 1860, an issue that had divided the nation was slavery. Lincoln’s election to presidency as a republic was not received well by the Southern slave states, as they thought that as a republican he was out to abolish slavery. In an effort to calm southern states and keep them from seceding from the United States, he attempts to ease them with his First Inaugural Address. In his First Inaugural Address his key points are to clam southern leaders of slave states, keep the states from seceding, and make them at ease as he enters presidency.
McPherson discusses how he found countless of confederate soldier’s letters filled with phrases like “the holy cause of southern freedom, duty to one’s country and death before Yankee
If the Civil war was not won by the Union, the slaves might be enslaved still and the Emancipation Proclamation would not have been successful. When Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the rebel states it infuriated the the Confederation. It also led to slaves to join the Union army during the war. Lincoln hoped by doing this it would to change the war from “save the Union” to “revolutionizing the war” (VHS). By “revolutionizing the war” it meant not having to fight
The election of President Lincoln had a huge affect on the civil war. Lincoln made numerous attempts to free slaves and to end the civil war. All of his attempts had helped in ways to end the civil war. His attempts included of the 13th amendment, the Emancipation Proclamation, his hard work on keeping the United States as one, and etc. Also because of the election of president Lincoln the 14th and 15th amendment was later on made as one of the Civil War Amendments.
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
The Short and Long Term Political Effects of the Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation or Proclamation 95, signed and passed by president Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was an executive order that changed the federal legal status of more than 3 to 4 million enslaved people in the designated areas of the South from slave to free. With the freedom of slaves across several rebellious states whose economies ran on slavery, the reception of the order was far from exceptional. The Proclamation ordered the freedom of all slaves in ten states, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas and North Carolina, and because it was issued under the president's authority to suppress rebellion,
Throughout the book of Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America, written by William E. Gienapp, I thought over and over when is there going to be some action in the book? When is the boring part going to be over? The book was an okay book; it could have been better. To anybody who wants a little history session needs to read this book.
The Radical and the Republican by James Oakes Book Review James Oakes’ The Radical and the Republican is a thorough and captivating account of two of America’s most distinguished figures, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. In his intriguing and polished work, Oakes examines the issues of slavery, race, politics, and war in America during the mid-1800’s. Though both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas engendered immense social and political change throughout the Civil War era, the relationship between the two men is often neglected.
President Lincoln stated that: “if I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it,..., and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would do it.”. This quote clearly shows that the freedom of slaves was not his concern and unnecessary if it did not help the Union; as the result, slavery still exists if there is no war. Free slave from bondage should be a Great Emancipator’s primary goal and he will do his best to achieve it no matter what, but president Lincoln’s thought differed from that because all he cares was the Union. Although he had many times admitting himself an anti-slavery but his words and thoughts obviously prove that he is
Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America is a biography that tells the life and success of Abraham Lincoln. At the beginning it talks about his life and how rough he grew up. As Lincoln grew up he wanted to learn to read and write because he was ashamed that his father couldn 't. Lincoln learning to read and write was a key factor to help him win the election and become as successful as he was. Even as a young child Lincoln claims to naturally be anti-salvory ( page 281). This is important to his stand point during the war.
Abraham Lincoln would lead the Republican Party even though he did not win the south over in the election. He promised that he would save the Union no matter what the cost. This disconnect in policy would later lay the basis for the Civil War, which started in 1861. He never envisioned a proclamation or ending slavery but he was ultimately committed to saving the Union from the succeeding south. Lincoln gave into the antislavery Republicans toward the end of the war and finally decided to make slavery the true basis of the war.
Yet by using this quote McPherson is trying to step away from the obvious fact and show that while Union preservation was the main goal freeing the slaves was the last resort in preserving the Union, which is less
Paludan argued that Lincoln was the greatest because of the safeguard he provided for the Union; while Bradford thought the opposite saying that Lincoln took advantage of the authority that he had being President. This immense time was important as it took place during the American Civil War fought between the Union and the Confederates from 1861 to 1865 during the years that Lincoln was in his presidency. The Civil War took place regarding the issues of slavery and how slavery was crossing over into the
American Civil War historian, James M. McPherson, in his essay How Lincoln Won the War with Metaphors, argues that if the Union and the Confederacy had exchanged presidents the Confederacy might have won the war. He supports his claim by comparing and contrasting Jefferson Davis’s lack of ability to communicate in an uplifting fashion to Abraham Lincoln’s use of figurative language, especially his metaphors that have the persuasive power of concreteness and clarity which everyone understands and by providing numerous examples of Lincolns metaphors. McPherson’s purpose is to demonstrate how Lincoln was a powerful leader due to his ability to communicate in an inspiring way and appeal to the peoples’ emotions through his use of figurative language
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."