Essay On Lincoln's Response To The Dred Scott Decision

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was elected during a time where the country was severely territorial, divided politically and racially. During the four years President Lincoln was in office, there was a Civil War between the Union and Confederate states followed by a post-war Reconstruction period that stabilized the economy and federal government. In addition, under the leadership of President Lincoln, slavery was abolished in the United States after 400 years. Today, he is regarded by most as one of our greatest presidents, and as an exemplary leader, and resilient, too. Some refer to him as “The Great Emancipator,” an abolitionist, and even a savior (“American President”).

The issue of popular sovereignty, rights of self-government, moral justification of slavery and economic freedom led to the emergence of Abraham Lincoln as an outspoken leader in the Republican Party. He began to be a larger voice to the spread of slavery in the West and other new territories. His skeptical belief in the Democrat’s justification of the spread of slavery led to his renewed interest in national

We can state the obvious, that we are not all perfect, and we certainly say things we don’t mean. Was President Lincoln really a racist? There is documented text that could point evidence that leans in either direction. Things said in the heat of long debates and drawn out conversations that ran for hours, does not make such a monumental man a poor or hypocritical person. Looking at the Constitutional right that “All men are created equal” to the thought that things won’t change without action, and to a man with no moral obligation other than to share his personal option that slavery was wrong, we dive into President Lincoln.

Lincoln once said “I do the very best I know how- the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” Lincoln always strived to be the best he could be in everything he participated in whether it be chopping down a tree or becoming a lawyer. Although Lincoln had awful manners he was very successful in everything that he done. There were many experiences throughout Lincoln’s lifetime that made him an attractive candidate for the United States Presidency in 1860. The three experiences that led to Lincoln being a candidate for presidency are him serving in the Black Hawk War, The Lincoln Douglas debates, and his role in politics.

Abraham Lincoln, looking back, seems like an integral person to America and its history. People today may believe that, but it was actually surprisingly difficult for Lincoln to win his reelection. There were many factors contributing to this uncertainty, one of them being his support of emancipation for slaves. According to USHistory.org, the Democratic Party was split right down the middle about their hopes for the war. Half of the democrats were extremely dead-set on ending the war with a peace treaty, and the other half wanted to continue the fight ("The Election of 1864").

In 1952, Thomas P. Benjamin, an expert in the history of Abraham Lincoln’s life, published his book, Abraham Lincoln: A Biography, which argues that Lincoln’s election was the cause of the war but Lincoln’s efforts would also lead to the North’s decisive victory. This argument renders similar to the arguments of Charnwood and Ludwig, but differs in the way that Lincoln’s actions are glorified tremendously in this second time period. Lincoln, along with his actions, are depicted as highly thoughtful, incisive and effective. His clearly recognized position of the moral issue of slavery gave rise to Lincoln’s fame and aided his presidential election.5 Benjamin further states the point that Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was an important milestone

His speech, “The Gettysburg Address” was a strong speech about the honor of the fighters and the freedom of our nation. Some may disagree, some believe that men were not created equal, that some should die in vain, that’s preserving the union is not worthy ( Lincoln 1). This being a reason Lincoln could have been assassinated. The Lincoln Douglas Debate was also a debate that led him to his election.

America’s founders created the constitution in order to create unification and order in the United States. However, there have been controversy surrounding the interpretation of the constitution, this has caused debate over many issues within the country. These issues and the lack of wartime policy within the constitution directly lead to the Civil War, which was one of the worst alterations this nation has faced. The Missouri compromise, the Dred Scott decision, and Bleeding Kansas were controversial issues surrounding the constitution that directly lead to the Civil War.

He was called “a born lawyer,” a representative of Congress of the Whig Party. This helped him gain strong national recognition of campaigning against others like Stephen Douglas of Illinois for U.S Senate 1850. There were several challenges during this campaign of which Lincoln struggled. One of which was dealing or being confronted with the issue of slavery, which is known as “Lincoln- Douglas Debates.” Despite the painful challenges that confronted Lincoln over this debate with which Douglas and he constantly focused on his goal, to see the abolition of slavery.

Abraham Lincoln is without a doubt one of, if not, the most iconic and influential figures when it comes to American history. From his time in the house of representatives, to his leading role in the civil war, to serving as the sixteenth president of the United States, Lincoln is a certainly a man who has a fair share of credibility when it comes to the shaping of our nation. But why do we put this man in such high regards? Should we even hold him in such high regards? There have been plenty of presidents who have also navigated the country through war, or held positions in other offices, so what makes Lincoln so special?

Elected as the sixteenth president of the United States in 1861, Abraham Lincoln proved to be a commendable leader who was admired by many. President Lincoln was elected to power at a time when the country was at the verge of civil war caused by the divisions between the country’s south and the north. During his reign, between the years 1861 to 1865, Lincoln fearlessly led the union through the civil war and strove to liberate the country from slavery, foster equality and reconcile the divisions that had put the country to war. Even through these tough times, Lincoln did not hold back on his visions for the nation. He made his purpose clear, kept his potential rivals close and did not shy off from making big decisions.

When analyzing Abraham Lincoln’s early presidential speeches, his objective to preserve the Union becomes quite apparent. However, we must not overlook Lincoln’s devotion to equality as expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Examining the Address at Independence Hall and the Gettysburg Address reveals Lincoln’s dedication to upholding the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. In reading Lincoln’s early presidential speeches, many view Lincoln’s motivation for abolishing slavery solely as a measure imperative to preserving the Union. However, his intentions run deeper than war-time necessity in that he possesses a profound reverence for the Declaration of Independence and its ideals of equality, that, although not always explicitly

His level of intelligence enabled him to strengthen his leadership qualities. Being mostly self taught and growing up “literally without education,” Lincoln grew older his strive to help and motivate others became bonded even further into his mentality. His drive is stated clearly “When viewed against the failed efforts of his rivals, it is clear that Lincoln won because he was the shrewdest and canniest of them all...displaying a fierce ambition, an exceptional acumen, and a wide range of emotional strengths. ”Lincoln’s drive to achieve this greatness is important because if he had given up and not persisted. He would have never been able to lead the United

“At the time, senators were elected by state legislatures, not by popular vote. When the returns came in, the Republicans had not won enough seats in the legislature to send Lincoln to the Senate. ”(Freedman 60) This example helped Lincoln by getting him becoming a household name, even though he lost he continued to speak out. This event supported Lincoln because he was able to surround himself with people who could potentially nominee him for president.

Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. were both born 120 years apart. They were also killed ten days apart in the same month, years apart of course. Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. were one of the biggest influences on Slavery and Civil Rights. As well as being great leaders during their times. Both of these men were similar, but also had their differences.