Abraham was born a poor farmhand boy in Kentucky, but he moved from small cabins in Kentucky, Indiana, and finally settled in Illinois. He was a farmhand for his father in these states and didn't have much exposure to slavery, although, these states did have black/slave laws. Lincoln got his first dose of slavery at the age of eighteen when he was hired to take a flatboat down to New Orleans. I quote from Lincoln: A Photobiography "Lincoln would never forget the site of black men, women, and children being driven along in chains and being auctioned off like cattle." This still didn't change his "opinion" on slavery (he didn't have one). In 1846, after experience in law and the Illinois state legislature, Lincoln was elected to the US …show more content…
In 1858 Lincoln fought against Stephen Douglas in a battle for the senate. They held three debates, Lincoln strongly favoring abolition while Douglas stayed at a position in which he believed in white supremacy saying, "I am not in favor of Negro equality". At this point in his life Lincoln was a leading abolitionist and fully fledged against slavery. Lincoln lost the election by a slim margin but didn't even stop fighting; in fact the fight had just begun. Lincoln was elected to run for the Republican president in 1860. Lincoln new that since he strongly despised slavery that he wasn't going to win any slave states; so he strongly campaigned in the north. For this action he became the president elect. Because of his election, South Carolina seceded from the union. Lincoln wanted to preserve the union without bloodshed, but that didn't happen. At the beginning of the Civil War Lincoln believed that it was being fought to preserve the union, but then he strongly believed it was because of the issue of slavery. Also at first he believed that he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1863 as a war measure, but then he realized that he wrote it because he knew that slavery was inhumane and he needed to do something a bout it. So, in the winter of 1864 he pushed congress to pass an amendment forever banning slavery. It was passed on January 31, 1865. Lincoln felt so strongly against slavery that he ended it forever. Lincoln fought for
Lincoln served as a great president who took on challenges head on. The biggest issue he faced was the Civil War. The Civil War was a conflict about slavery and expanding it. Lincoln’s goal was to gradually put an end to slavery however, the South did not agree with this and decided to (according to the government) rebel against the country. Doing this meant the beginning of a war where a country would fight itself. It was the North against the South. While the North was abiding to the government’s regulations they had to fight the South. After all the battles of fighting each other the Civil War went down into American History as one of their bloodiest wars. As a threat to the South Lincoln ordered the South to give in and join the Union again. He warned them that if this did not happen, he would free the slaves under their custody. He gave them a time limit for this but the South did not listen nor did they give in. As a result, Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation.
President Abraham Lincoln has been revered as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. He is known for his great effect on slavery and served his terms during the civil war in a time of great controversy. The American Civil War (1860-1865) occurred at the exact time of Lincoln's presidency (1861-1865). The North and the South were divided and a big issue was slavery, on which Lincoln took an anti-slavery stance. Lincoln has been called many things because of his views "from the great emancipator to the reluctant emancipator to the white supremacist, or, in more vulgar terms, Lincoln as just another honkie" (Hubbell 1). While many people believe Abraham Lincoln to be the "Great Emancipator" of the times, he was
As a Republican President, Abraham Lincoln opposed slavery. He believed it was unnecessary to everyone-including Negros and Whites. However, with his stand on slavery, he held back by declaring that he had no reason to disrupt slavery where it existed. The constitution had protected states where citizens wanted slavery to exist. Lincoln knew he would not get enough support and that the four slave-holding states in the North would turn against him. As a result, the Civil War began in 1861 with more of a political purpose in keeping the union together rather than a battle for human freedom. Slaveholders could not turn to the Union’s side because slaves were valuable and played a vital role to
Abraham Lincoln Slave Demolisher President,Congressmen,brilliant are three words that describe Abraham Lincoln. Many people know that Abraham Lincoln was a president,but he was much more. As a well known congressman he wanted to show how wrong the world was with slavery around in the south. Abraham Lincoln inspired people to take a stand and not let slavery go on in America forever. He was a long lasting legacy as a president.
First, I will write about slavery, and the influence of two man that have progressed to its conclusion in this nation and to explain how Lincoln and Douglass contributed to ending slavery in the United States.
Abraham Lincoln had no clear intentions of emancipating the slaves unless he felt that it was truly necessary for him to do so. For example, look at the expulsion of Union General John Fremont who was in charge of the federal government’s military efforts in Missouri. The Union General created an act on August 30th, 1861 to deter the Confederates from their guerilla warfare. This act granted him Marshall Law throughout the state and gave him the ability to confiscate property and declare slaves “freemen”. This angered the Commander In-Chief. As a result, Lincoln removed the General’s act and stripped him of his command on November 2nd, 1861.
When Abraham Lincoln was elected as the first republican president, he only received 40% of the popular votes; he also beat three other candidates on top of that. Lincoln was responsible for a lot of changes and is also known as an icon in American History. Lincoln was a Kentucky-born lawyer and a former Whig Representative to the Congress. Lincoln was going up against Stephen Douglas in the Senate race; Douglas argued that the states should have a right to be a slave state or a free state, while Lincoln argued against slavery and the spread of it. Unsurprisingly, Lincoln had lost the Senate race, but his campaign against slavery brought national attention to the Republican Party, in 1860, Lincoln had won the Republican party’s nomination
“I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.” Abraham Lincoln admired the declaration of independence and its founders. The Declaration of Independence was formed by the thirteen States of the confederacy. Represented by American liberty from each state. Twelve of these states where holders of slave. Abraham Lincoln legacy was for all men and women to be created equally. No matter what color or race you are, you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It also states America’s freedom from Great Britain. What most people get wrong is that The Declaration of Independence wasn't signed on July 4, 1776. This was the date that congress Adopted
What did Abraham Lincoln do and think regarding slavery during the Civil War? In Abraham's First Inaugural Address he states "I do but quote from one of those speeches when I declare that I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."" (Pg 53-54) Lincoln did not want the South to be afraid of his Republican Presidency either. That was why he made these statements at his Inauguration about slavery. Lincoln also talks about leaving the returning of fugitive slave clause alone, and keeping it in the Constitution. He
150). Clearly, Lincoln was an undecided politician who was merely looking for votes. He never had any intention of ending slavery, but was rather looking for his own personal gains, and by appealing to both ideologies; he gained the necessary support to elect his president. From the beginning of his presidency, at Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, it is clear to see he was not the “Great Emancipator,” but a man trying to maintain the unity of the nation.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republican Party to run for President. Lincoln continued to speak out against the expansion of slavery. Doing this he earned very little support from the southern slave states. Lincoln went on to win the presidential election becoming the 16th president of the United States. Lincolns presidential win would go on to divide
The Civil War of the American had led to the major change to the American society in general and also the status of black Americans specifically. During the period prior to the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln had contributed not only his ideal but his passion of a nation in which every person is created equal based on the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln was elected president in 1860 and started his plan on freeing the slaves and also to put an end to the American Civil war in order to reunite the States through the Emancipation Proclamation. His ambitious of emancipating the slaves and reunite the nation are the importance factors that helps Abraham Lincoln deserves his accolade of “The Great Emancipator.”
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most well known presidents in the history of the United States of America. He as thought to be the man who led this great country through the toughest times it had to encounter. His determination to get the United States through the Civil War is one of the best things that have ever happened for this country. Lincoln’s argument about the relationship between slavery, the Constitution, and the Union changed throughout the Civil War. Lincoln’s view of the purpose of the war was to save the Union because of the southern states seceding from the Union. However, the argument changed to the war being about slavery because of Fredrick Douglass’s speeches and the Confederates surrendering at
This place was terrible. They took our clothes away, forced hundreds of us into tightly packed rooms, literally stacked on top of one another like a can of sardines. I was missing you all so much and needed you at the time for comfort. I could not stand it anymore as we rocked back and forth, weeping and angry. As I was bleeding terribly, I forced myself to unlock my hands from the chain. At that point I didn’t care how much pain I was in, all I wanted to do was escape. When I finally did escape and free the others, this raging power came upon me to takeover the ship. The others and I killed all but two of the Spanish on the ship. It felt good to let out all the anger that was built up inside of me and I felt accomplished and powerful.
Lincoln was inaugurated into office in March of 1861. Lincoln was one of the reasons the pro-slavery states broke away, they where afraid that Lincoln was going to ban slavery because Lincoln was an anti-slavery person.