Essay The American Civil War: Abraham Lincoln

Before Lincoln became President, and was a lawyer living in Springfield in April of 1837. Abraham Lincoln won the first term against Peter Cartwright in 1846. Mukunda states “TheCivil War would have changed the world today if Lincoln never became President (Mukunda). Also, the American political system was ruined when Abraham Lincoln became President. In 1863, Lincoln passed off the Emancipation Proclamation.

Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many Americans as the greatest president to ever hold office in the history of the United States, and his reputation is definitely well deserved. Lincoln wasn't scared to stand up and fight for what he knew was right. He was convinced that within the branches of government, the presidency alone was empowered not only to uphold the Constitution, but also to protect, and defend it. Lincoln was able to lead our country and preserve the Union, keeping the United States from splintering during the devastating times of the Civil War. As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization, and he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. In 1860, Lincoln was a self-described ‘’ prairie lawyer’’ He joined the Republican party and the ongoing argument over sectionalism in 1856. Lincoln ran for president against Northern Democrat Douglas, Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell. He defeats the three, declaring him the sixteenth president of the United States of America while Nathan Bedford Forrest chooses the different path by volunteered as a private in the Confederate Army on June 14, 1861.

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

Abraham Lincoln, guided his country through the most devastating experience during his time—the Civil War. He is considered by many historians and people to have been the greatest American president. Abraham Lincoln, was a self-taught Illinois lawyer and a legislator with a belief that every man should be free in America. Many were shock that he had overcome several prominent continents in the Republicans Party’s nomination for president in 1860. In the North many people agreed that is was fair to let the slaves be free, but for the south who need slaves for picking cotton were not so happy. People in the South, called the confederates hated the idea of freeing the slaves, and this is how the Civil War started.

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 Lincoln’s skills as a political and military leader proved far superior to those of his counterpart, Jefferson Davis. Although Lincoln had no previous military experience, he possessed a basic common sense for understanding the strategy of war. Lincoln’s innovative leadership, adaptability, and the ability to provide quick resolutions, gave the North a decisive advantage. He also understood that his time was limited and did not try to micromanage his generals. Lincoln knew that he needed qualified individuals to handle the day-to-day military operations. He found such a person in General Grant and handed over complete military control to him in 1963.[vii]

Abraham Lincoln, the president of the United States of America, had a difficult job. Not only did this man strive to unite the country once again, he also had the responsibility of deciding the fate of Jefferson Davis, the former president of the Confederate States of America. Many Northerns believed Jefferson should at least be imprisoned, if not put to death for his actions. Southerners, on the other hand, viewed Davis as a hero and could not bear the thought of their hero being punished. Wanting to keep the recently re-united country at peace with one another, President Lincoln was left in a bind.

Even though Lincoln was both unfavored by north and south, but Lincoln is a very remarkable man as freeing a slave and unite the freedom. Lincoln is the leader who successfully prosecuted the Civil War to preserve the nation, he saves and united America’s citizens from slavery, domination of the south, build a stronger government with no fear even at the beginning of the war Northern did not have enough resources such as power of military, talent general and not even enough money for the war. Lincoln also established Thanksgiving as a National

Abe Lincoln was able to win people over because of his understanding of society. He showed attributes that, at the time, were more caring and loving than most people. For example, in some of his speeches from Illinois, he took a stance against slavery. He questioned if slavery was morally and constitutionally right, which was a big risk at the time. This move won over the liberal citizens in America, but greatly alienated the South, especially when Abe Lincoln won the election of 1860. His determination was another huge factor to him being a great influence. Even though he started out not taking the War seriously, which causes the Union to lose some important battles, these losses are a wake-up call for Lincoln, which reinvigorates him to fight back against the South and win the war, saving the Union and freeing the slaves. This ended up being his greatest strength, and what decides how he is remembered in history forever.

Lincoln was a mainly unknown prairie legal representative, and at the start of the war which everybody estimated to be over quickly, he did not tell much about how to choose and use the superlative Generals. By the half, nevertheless, he had skillfully maneuvered a condition where the British and French might not send help to the Confederates without observing pro-slavery, and then made the astute decision to back U.S.Grant as his General-in-Chief. For the time being he had exposed outstanding dexterity in the management of his talented but rebellious cabinet, and by the period of his tragic assassination, had got his place as one of the boundless men of American history, probably the greatest.

For the first time, the nation had split into two; creating two forms of government for one nation. You had President Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America and President Jefferson Davis for the Confederate States of America. Both men, had different experiences when it came to controlling their part of the war, as well as different viewpoints. Both men were strategic people, who led their side well on, but both differed in how much effectiveness and moral they possessed throughout the war. Abraham Lincoln, was a self taught and smart man, but had little experience when it came to military; he relied a lot on his generals.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States taking presidency in 1861, but he was looked down upon long before he took office. He was demonized as a “black republican” and pictured as an abolitionist during the 4-way campaign in 1860. He avoided adding fuel to the flames in 1860 campaign by refraining from making any policy pronouncements for the fear of misconstruction in both regions. Abraham Lincoln’s election as president in November 1860 finally pushed secessionists over the edge. Many southerners felt that his goal was to ignore states’ rights and remove their ability to own slaves.

The American Civil War was undeniably one of the most influential events in the formation of the United States and what it is today. There were several prominent figures on both the side of the Union and the Confederacy. Two important individuals from this era were President Abraham Lincoln and General Nathan Bedford Forrest. These two men fought on opposite sides of the war, Lincoln supporting the Union and Forrest the Confederacy. They both found great success during the war, despite their drastically differing approaches and beliefs. Of the two, Lincoln had a more positive and lasting influence on the United States and the values held to this day.

The President can hire and fire the Generals who would have engaged the Confederacy's troops (primarily General Robert E.Lee's forces) and so as Commander-in-Chief he and his best advisers saved the military volunteers and drafted soldiers and other troops to keep fighting on many fronts. He also kept up diplomatic pressures to keep outside countries and their trade from abetting the Confederate exports and deal-making. His moral authority is what sustained the Union Cause during dark hours of Gettysburg (July 1-2-3, 1863) and his oratorical skills are what still endear him to Americans of all kinds ! Lincoln did his best to make sure that the union won the civil war. The Northern armies won the war, and the rebellious states returned to the Union.