Lincoln In American Memory by Merrill D. Peterson Essay

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

April 15, 1865 was a highly anticipated evening at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. President Abraham Lincoln, along with Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward were scheduled to attend a showing of Our American Cousin. This enjoyable gathering soon turned to tragedy for the American leaders. In the middle of the performance, shots were fired and blood was shed while the unassuming audience sat oblivious to the events unfolding. John Wilkes Booth executed his scheme to assassinate President Lincoln, one of the most important and influential men in American history, who inspired the masses with his unexpected rise to power.

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.

Abraham Lincoln’s presidential career was full of questionable actions. Thomas DiLorenzo author of, The Real Lincoln discusses Lincoln’s actions regarding racism, his refusal to emancipate the slaves, his continual tendency to act independently of Congress, and his radical reconstruction after the Civil War. DiLorenzo attacks each of these topics in his book and proves that Lincoln had his own agenda, and was not the picture perfect president everybody thought that he was.

“Abraham Lincoln and The Second American Revolution”, written by James M. McPherson, one of America’s historians. McPherson has also written,” Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era”, “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief”, “Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam” and many other history related books. “Abraham Lincoln and The Second American Revolution” consists of seven essays throughout on important themes in American history and unusual standpoints on the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln.

It is hard not to agree with David Herbert Donald in his biography of Abraham Lincoln. He does his best to not give his professional opinion of anything and only writes about the topics from which he has proof of. The main ideas that the author has throughout the text is greatly supported with Lincoln’s own papers and from written first-hand accounts of his generation. Donald accounts for the changes of position on slavery and the equality of blacks throughout his presidency. I think that this book is a great depiction of Abrahams Lincoln’s life.

Abraham Lincoln was a man of humble beginnings who, though self-taught, rose to greatness through the many leadership qualities that he possessed. Quality traits that Lincoln possessed were honesty, integrity and a great devotion towards the rights of the people. It was probably through his impoverished upbringing that he formed such a bond with common folks. Lincoln was able to show the country that an ordinary person, with strong character and integrity, was capable of inspiring others to greatness. His ability to communicate through dynamic speeches was inspirational to a country so badly in need of someone to return the country to the unity that it had once had. His commitment to the rights of individuals was a cornerstone of his

“The Real Lincoln written by Thomas J. Dilorenzo published in 2002 gives us details into the Lincoln presidency It shows how Lincoln wanted a more central government he was not a man for all people but for the north. It shows that Lincoln was not the reason for the split in the country but a sense of pride was to blame. He did not support equal rights in slave and white americans. He was for the “ American system” and the expansion of America. Lorenzo is a member of the faculty at Loyola University of Maryland where he teaches economics. Lorenzo also wrote several other books: Lincoln Unmasked, How Capitalism Saved America, Hamilton’s Curse, and Inflating War. He is not the biggest fan of Lincoln in The Real Lincoln; in this book he tends

In, “Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution”, James M. McPherson analyzes the Civil War and how Lincoln played a role in affecting the outcome and development of the war. McPherson not only portrays Lincoln’s role, but also his strategy and ability to unite a nation that was on the verge of collapsing.

It was a bloody and costly war, a time of need for America. Lincoln is said in the text to have used his "leadership, commitment to values, and strong moral

When Lincoln spoke to Congress in December of 1864, he enhanced the idea of freedom for all by saying, "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom for the free…" He was fully aware that the Civil War would change the course of the future of the United States of America, and that his choices during the war would tip the scale towards continued democracy, or the death of it. He strongly believed that if the Confederacy were to win the war, and the American experiment in democracy were to fail, that the ‘beacon of hope for oppressed humanity the world over would be destroyed.'

2. Given this outstanding success, why did the internationalization thrust of the late 1980s and early 1990s fail?

Abraham Lincoln’s primary goal was to preserve the nation rather than concentrate on the issue of slavery. His actions on emancipation were motivated by military necessity in an effort to undermine the South. Abolitionist like Frederick Douglass pressed the president to transform the war for the Union into a war for liberation. Frederick Douglass, an African American abolitionist and social reformer, and other African Americans recruited black men to fight for the Union to prove their worth as a citizen and help abolish slavery. The slaves brought more pressure to bear. As more slaves multiplied, they abandoned their master, crossed Union lines and offered their assistance. The logic of emancipation thus became impossible to deny. As President

Throughout American History, many men with great abilities have leaded the nation towards success. The forty-four founding fathers, some with the greatest minds in history, were tasked with making difficult decisions that were integral for positive change for the nation. There is one significant President, often seen as the greatest political figure that served during the time of the Civil War. The sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln, administered in the oval office during this time of chaos. Lincoln’s presidency revolved around many issues that were tearing the nation apart. His duty was to ease tension with regards to slavery and emancipation, cease secession, and preserve the Union. Lincoln is best known for three of his greatest presidential addresses: The House Divided Speech, First Inaugural Address, and Second Inaugural Address. These address helped bring the Union out of despair.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky and was the second child of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. His nickname was Honest Abe and The Great Emancipator and he was six foot and four inches tall. Lincoln’s childhood was rough. His family moved to several places; from Kentucky to Indiana, and then to Illinois in his early twenty’s.