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When Referring To Abraham Lincoln During His Presidency,

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When referring to Abraham Lincoln during his presidency, he is often remembered as “The Great Emancipator”. Upon looking into his earlier life, one can develop firm conclusions as to what factors influenced Lincoln. One can also call into question whether his actions toward emancipation were sufficient, or if he deserves credit at all. Various events before Lincoln’s presidency allowed his opinions of the institution of slavery to develop. During his childhood, he was exposed to slavery, while his career as a lawyer allowed him to defend colored individuals. His political career also allowed him to express his views on many of the pieces of legislation meant to deal with slavery. Abraham Lincoln’s attitude towards the institution of …show more content…

There are two occasions where he was involved in the question of whether or not residence in Illinois meant freedom from slavery. In the cases where Lincoln defended an African American, he stuck to the law as opposed to fighting it and used specific evidence. This trait would aid him after his career as a lawyer when he decided to run for the Illinois seat in Congress. Lincoln disagreed with Stephen Douglas on the status of slavery. When debating against Stephen Douglas for the Illinois seat, Lincoln spoke objectively and factually as opposed to his more subjective and racially based opponent. As Abraham Lincoln became more politically involved, he attempted to oppose the expansion of slavery. Lincoln realized that despite having anti-slavery views, he did not know how to combat slavery directly through the political system. Therefore, he turned his focus towards the expansion of slavery rather than the institution itself. In doing so, He appeared as less radical to the south and gained some support from them rather than the fervent opposition an abolitionist would receive. Lincoln supported legislation such as the Fugitive Slave act of 1850, so long as it did not allow free blacks to be converted back into slaves. He opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, however, because not only did it allow the opportunity for slavery to expand past the

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