A Good Example Of Abraham Lincoln's Vision

In Abraham Lincoln, by George McGovern, McGovern summarizes and gives insight on one of the United States’ most well-known and highly praised presidents, Abraham Lincoln. McGovern thoroughly outlines Lincoln’s life, his struggles and how he became the great president that he was. One point McGovern continues to mention is how no matter how bad a situation was or even when people doubted Lincoln, he would take his defeats and preserve. In the beginning of the book, McGovern recounts Lincoln’s life as a kid and a young adult. He describes how no matter how bad Lincoln failed or how sad he was, “Lincoln would not resign himself to failure and loss; instead he learned from each experience and carried on” . In addition, McGovern continues to mention how Lincoln never stopped learning. From a young age, Lincoln loved to learn, read and expand his knowledge so he could fully analyze any situation. According to McGovern, this personality trait allowed Lincoln to work and rise up from a farmer’s son to the President of the United States. This trait, also, allowed Lincoln “to take a far more active role in managing military affairs” . Lincoln was able to come up with a new strategy for the Union to win the Civil War.

Lincoln’s main goal for his presidency was to unify the Union after the Civil War had torn the North and the South apart. In Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” he says, “While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war...” (Lincoln 68). When Lincoln was elected for his first term, he wanted to unify the Union even before the war had

Early on in Lincoln’s political career he “expressed his devotion to the cause of protectionist tariffs, taxpayer subsidies for railroads and other corporations, and the nationalization of the money supply” (2). According to Lincoln, “the constitution stood in the way of his political ambitions” (3). If you cannot already tell, Lincoln seemed maybe he did not really care for the constitution or people like he said he did. He did not care to have equality between the races and wanted to put all the blacks in one place besides the United States. We should all be treated equally but Lincoln did not feel this way. Lincoln’s primary agenda for a Civil War was not to end slavery but to save the Union (8).

For a mere human to comprehend his role in life is something that does not occur much, and for one to follow it so willingly is practically unheard of. Even more so, he would not let it go to his head, but remained humble and modest throughout his life. I refer back to Lincoln's response to Horace Greeley, and to the Emancipation Proclamation itself, and to all the countless decisions he made during his presidency. In all his actions, the future of the American experiment was the central idea of the war, and he would do all that is necessary to preserve it. Lincoln worked to uphold the Constitution and continue the work that the Founding Fathers had begun. His immense moral decisions in the political arena helped to secure the future, and he did it all, not for himself, but for the people.

Abraham Lincoln believed that to preserve the union, he would need to free slaves, but it was more than that, he needed to find a way to bring the country together as one rather than separation. He said himself, " if I could save the union, without freeing any slave I would do it...", that shows that the abolition of slavery was not Lincoln's number one priority, but he believed it needed to be done in order to preserve the Union.

Lincoln’s plan was amiable and compassionate. He wanted to unite the states swiftly with little

Hurrying was not a trait that McClellan was known for. McClellan took his time and began to draw out on paper how this battle would be won. He then began moving troops around, combining armies from all regions. As McClellan was doing this President Lincoln became inpatient and ordered McClellan to move.

Although James McPherson presents Lincoln as having numerous qualities that defined him as a brilliant leader, he wastes no time in revealing what he believes to be Lincoln’s greatest strength. In his Introduction, McPherson states regarding Lincoln’s political leadership: “In a civil war whose origins lay in a political conflict over the future of slavery and a political decision by certain states to secede, policy could never be separated from national strategy…. And neither policy nor national strategy could be separated from military strategy” (McPherson, p.6). Lincoln could not approach the war from a purely martial standpoint—instead, he needed to focus on the issues that caused it. For the catalyst of the war was also the tool for its solution; a war started by differing ideologies could only be resolved through the military application of ideology. This non-objective approach to the waging of the war almost resembles the inspired approach McPherson brings to his examination of Lincoln himself.

In his speech, Lincoln used a passionate and inclusive tone to give the impression that they were all equal and were at risk of losing the same things. This could inspire a feeling of unity between Lincoln and the audience. “…devoted altogether to saving the Union…” (paragraph 2). In this statement, Lincoln used both diction and sentence structure to impact his audience. He used emotionally charged words such as “devoted” and “saving” to express a sense of passion. He also used long sentences that would reiterate similar ideas to help get his point across. “…to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan…” (paragraph 4). In this part of his address, Lincoln uses imagery, facts, and

The thirteenth amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude and was the first grant of civil rights given to African Americans (“Thirteenth Amendment: January 31, 1865”). The 14th Amendment was passed into law and protects the rights against state infringements, defines citizenship, prohibits states from interfering with privileges and immunities, requires due process and equal protection, punishes states for denying vote, and disqualifies Confederate officials and debts (“Fourteenth Amendment: June 16, 1866”). For the first time the word “equal” was established into the Constitution.

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

For instance, scholarly journals and history books often praise Abraham Lincoln for his policies against slavery during the Civil War and how he initiated those policies throughout the country despite a war being carried out at the time. Abraham Lincoln was faced with a challenge, which was slavery, and faced the challenge by enacting laws that would ultimately eliminate and solve the issue, and he is greatly remembered for his deeds. Although history books and journals will state how great of an orator, lawyer, and decision maker Lincoln was at the time, some may argue that those skills were necessary in ensuring the policies he enacted were carried out. Those skills were, in fact, necessary to Lincoln’s success as president, but it was how he faced the challenge of war and slavery that he is most noted for.

Lincoln states "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that." Lincoln was strictly for the Union and if he could save the Union and end slavery he would, but his first thoughts were for the Union, and only the Union. He deals with slavery in this manner because he does not want to upset or cause turmoil in the South. Even though the Civil War was going on, he wants it to end and the Union to be whole.

Lincoln had many subordinates whom he worked very closely with to make such a successful nation. Just to name a few out of the many he closely worked with, William Seward was appointed the Secretary of State by Lincoln. Seward first did not have faith or trust in the President, but as soon as President Lincoln spent time with him and learned about his loyalty he quickly changed his mind. Another subordinate that Lincoln worked closely with in his Presidency was Ulysses S. Grant whom was the appoint General in Chief of the Army. He had one battles in Tennessee and Vicksburg (Phillips, 1992, p. 42)

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.'