Abraham Lincoln is often regarded as a resilient individual who triumphed over adversity during one of the most turbulent times in Unites States history: the American Civil War. Traits that are often attributed to him are honesty, charisma, a silver tongue, and a sense of equality. Lincoln achieved notoriety not only with his exceptional delivery of famous speeches, such as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, but also with the lesser known interactions, conversations and daily activities with common people. Taken together, these speeches and activities culminate to reveal key qualities about Lincoln: his virtues. These virtues have assisted in defining who Lincoln is and how he is historically viewed in the eyes of Americans. His virtues include …show more content…
Without this much-needed drive and ambition, it is unlikely that Lincoln would have accomplished what he during his life. What truly sparked Lincoln’s ambition was the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. This act created the states of Kansas and Nebraska and essentially repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 is what almost single handedly got Lincoln back into politics and pushed him to become a much bigger activist in the abolitionist movement. “But then there came in 1854 an event that would pull his antislavery convictions to the center of his politics and ‘arouse’ the universalism and egalitarianism, and the moral concept of the nation, that they rested upon” (Miller 230). Lincoln would go on to condemn the “monstrous injustice of slavery itself’, naming it as a “vast moral evil”. Lincoln felt that slavery threatened the basic human rights of all Americans: personal liberty, self-government, and the enjoyment of the fruits of one’s labor. One of Lincoln’s most shining examples of his ambition would be during the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Lincoln was aiming for the Senate seat that was currently held by Stephen Douglas. This was certainly no easy task as Douglas at the time was quite popular in Illinois and was considered one of the best debaters. Douglas was initially resistant to Lincoln’s offer to debate but he
On the eve of the Election of 1864, God won't let Master Lincoln end this war until he does the right thing. Master Lincoln's needs to punish de south we ain't gettin justices until dem slave owners are punish. I'm negro women but this negro woman ought to tell master Lincoln that compromise would mean that all the suffering, and sacrifice of the past three and half years would be all in waste. Let Dem slave own would prevail.
In an article written by W. George Scarlett, he speaks of Lincoln’s virtues saying, “Honesty, self-discipline, plainness, simplicity and compassion are among these enduring virtues” (Scarlett 3). Lincoln was known as one of the most honest and truthful leaders in American
In the Civil war there were many leaders of both sides. The leaders of the union were Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses .S. Grant, and on the confederate side there Jefferson Davis and Andrew Jackson. They all had an immense part in the civil war, On pages 496-509 you will read all the things Lincoln and Grant did for the union. For example, Abraham Lincoln emancipated all the slaves in the confederacy, which now gave a new goal of the union to abolish slavery, and gave the union more soldiers. Grant used strategy and force to defeat the confederate, by issuing the total war and sending Sherman on the march to the sea, consequently destroying everything the south had even the civilians who had no part in the war were affected. On the confederate
Across time, political leaders have often been remembered for their greatness by how they faced challenges than with what particular skills or abilities they had during their time in office. This statement is known to be true as political leaders are often expected to solve certain issues or challenges when in office and if their contributions benefit the state or country. Additionally, history books, records, and scholarly journals will take note of a leader’s response to challenges, how they are handled, and if the issue is solved more than whether they adequately used certain skills and abilities to solve the problem. In short, challenges, when faced, allow the political leaders to be remembered more so than their talents.
John Wilkes Booth was Abraham Lincoln murder. He shot him because he didn't want african americans slaves to be free and have more legal rights. Since he was a Southern Confederate, he believed slaves were property and that's how he viewed himself politically. He thought Abe was his only one shot to give his stance politically another chance to fight. Booth first attempt was to kidnap Lincoln and hold him for ransom. But when the time came Lincoln changed his plans of going to the Washington bar. he decided to kill Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward on the same evening
Lincoln was a political genius. His greatness shined when he brought the nation through its crisis. Democrats had hoped that the Kansas-Nebraska Act would calm the passions of the slavery issue. Because this had an opposite effect, Lincoln not only saw this, but crafted a rhetorical concept of both the crisis and a pathway for getting through it.
When a president is sworn into office, they swear to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. In the oath of office, there is no exception for nullification of the document, therefore meaning that the president is expected to follow the rules that are written. Abraham Lincoln, on the other hand, completely broke his promise to obey the Constitution, and took all matters into his own hands. Throughout his years as president, Lincoln managed to suspend the right of habeas corpus, imposed martial law, and overall took away many of the citizen’s freedom of speech given to them by the Constitution. Although Lincoln wanted to restore the Union during the Civil War, in no way did he have the right to defy the Constitution,
His life had rough times, but he still stood up and this man Abraham Lincoln is strongly acknowledged for his vital role as the leader in preserving the Union during Civil War and the beginning the process Emancipation Proclamation that led to the end of slavery in the United States. He was a decent, kind, compassionate, honest, empathetic, patient, energetic and easy going man. He was U.S representative, U.S president and a lawyer through his life.
As a proud American living in the United States, I am grateful that have the opportunity to have natural rights. For instance, we have the right to an education, to work, have voter rights, liberty, and freedom. However, that has not always been the case. It took hundreds of years for America to be molded the way that it is today, and it was not an easy development. Back in the historical days (1860’s,) America was enduring the Civil War. The nation was divided and slavery was common during this era. With this in mind, one of our greatest leaders took charge and changed our nation, Abraham Lincoln. He was one of our most influential Presidents that left a positive impact in the history of United States and his biggest triumph was the Emancipation Proclamation.
In the mid-1800s, in the second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln identified the civil war as religious war: it is a will of God. He stated, God “gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe”; therefore, “with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in” (Lincoln). Opposite to Douglas ideas that slavery is natural, secular, and constitutional right, Lincoln asserted anti-slavery, linked to Evangelical Protestantism (Magagna). Against evolutionism, he appealed the religious morality, thoughts, and behaviors in order to demolish institutional slavery in the United States (Magagna). In his biblical terms, Lincoln justified the civil war as the providence of America, the punishment of the sin of slavery, and the promise of national redemption. That is, Lincoln asserted “no bargain with the South and Slavery” through the religious languages (Magagna).
Out of the first sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln was the first president who created foundation about ending slaves in America via his Emancipation of Proclamation. Lincoln was also a strong supporter for Homestead Act and The Pacific Railway Act, which became an essential law for American economics. Furthermore, 13th Amendment was Lincoln top priority in legislation after he was reelected as the President. President Abraham Lincoln truly became one of the greatest presidents via these achievements.
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Kentucky. During Lincoln’s livelihood he became a Lawyer, a Whig party leader, and was also a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. In the year of 1840 Lincoln was engaged to Mary Todd and was the father of four children: William Wallace, Tad, Robert Todd, and Edward Baker Lincoln. and lived in Springfield. His nickname was Honest Abe. Lincoln had very little education, but often loved to read. in1854, he became a leader for a whole new Republican Party. Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States on November 6, 1860. The southern states didn’t really support Lincoln, especially since they were slave holding states. However, he still did win the votes of the Northerners. In the Nation’s history, Lincoln faced the greatest crisis ever. He invoked the new testament when he said “a house divided against it cannot stand. “ He committed his presidency to
Beginning - Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 and he was born in a log cabin in kentucky. Abraham Lincoln died April 15, 1865, Petersen House, Washington, D.C. Abraham Lincoln was Elected as the 16th president in 1860, In 1865 General Robert E. Lee surrenders, ending the Civil War, Also in 1865 John Wilkes booth shoots and kills Lincoln. When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old in 1818 his mother died and it was really hard on there family but after that passed Abraham’s dad marries sarah bush Johnston in 1819. Abraham Lincoln was closer to his step mom sarah then his real mom Nancy Hankes. Also when Abraham Lincoln was little he only went to two schools to learn how to read and write. [ Abraham Lincoln loved reading books all the
not have much real effect at the time, it pointed a way to a brighter
The Civil War was a war between the union, and confederate states in the United States that occurred from 1861-1865. Many people believed that the Civil War was about slavery and southern states right to defend their states’ rights. The confederates were fighting for their liberty and independence under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, who they felt was a tyrant. However, the union, was fighting to preserve their territory, that was created by their founding fathers from chaos and dismemberment. President Jefferson Davis believed that the civil war was based on the confederate rights to secede from the union. Jefferson also felt that Abraham Lincoln was to blamed for the start of the civil war, since he was against slavery. Lincoln’s intended goal was to preserve the union, he claimed slavery was not the reason. “If I could save the union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all slaves I would do it, and if I could slave it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that (Shi &Tindall, 2015, pg.465)”. Lincoln told everyone that if the southern states were to return to the union that slavery would still exist. However, many people believed that Lincoln wasn’t being truthful.