ipl-logo

Abraham Lincoln Dbq

562 Words3 Pages

Abraham Lincoln’s commitment to preserving the Union significantly shaped his policies on slavery, forcing him to balance his personal anti-slavery beliefs with political necessities. First, he prioritized union preservation, supporting measures like the Corwin Amendment to prevent secession. However, as the Civil War progressed, his policies evolved to include the Emancipation Proclamation and active support for the 13th Amendment, eventually aligning his official actions with his personal beliefs against slavery. Lincoln was committed to preserving the Union, and it was evident. Early on, in 1858, Lincoln gave a speech and predicted that the Union could not survive half slave and half free. This speech reflected Lincoln's understanding that …show more content…

This demonstrates how his mind is set on preventing further secession and maintaining the Union at any cost. Despite this Amendment never being ratified, it showed Lincoln’s dedication to preserving the nation. Lincoln’s practicality in supporting the nation covers up the fact that he stands against slavery. On August 22, 1862, he sent a letter to Horace Greenly stating, “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”(doc 5). In this letter, he clarifies that his primary goal is the preservation of the union, despite his feelings for slavery. Additionally, in a letter sent to A.G. Hodges on April 4, 1864, he states, “If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.”(doc 8). Although he knows the immorality that comes with slavery, Lincoln explains that his personal feelings cannot interfere with the best interest of the country. As the Civil War progressed, Lincoln’s policies began to slowly align with his convictions. Lincoln stated, “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within (the Confederate) States are, and henceforth shall be free”(doc

Show More
Related

Election Of 1860 Dbq Essay

219 Words | 1 Pages

He made it very clear that he didn’t want slavery to spread and would work to see that slavery didn’t spread. President Lincoln said if he could save the Union by keeping slavery where it already existed, he would do that. Saving the Union was his top priority. However, the South didn’t trust President Lincoln to keep his word.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

680 Words | 3 Pages

After reading the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, it seems that Lincoln’s original goal of saving the Union has changed. Now, in addition to saving the Union, Lincoln wants to free the slaves thereby making the Union a model for other countries. After reading the documents, there is a perceptible shift in his rhetoric from his First Inaugural Address to his Second Inaugural Address. He now mentions nations in his speech. Lincoln’s speeches clearly show his change in stance towards his original goal by including language that intermixes his multiple goals together.

Read More

Lincoln Racist Dbq

867 Words | 4 Pages

You can see this in Document B, wherein 1858 Lincoln says this: “I have no purpose . . . to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists . . .” Later on in the same document he also states, “There is no reason in the world why the negro is not entitled to all the natural rights . . . in the Declaration of Independence- the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” While Lincoln was running for president, he promised to leave slavery alone in the South, but he also stays true to his personal morals through his time, that slavery

Read More

Civil War Dbq

871 Words | 4 Pages

In the beginning of the war, his motivation was founded in the “belief that the south had no right to secede” and to counteract the south’s decision they declared war. Although the purpose for the war had changed from solely correcting the south’s decision to fighting for equality and abolishing slavery, Lincoln “remained steadfastly true throughout the war to his basic objective[s]” of reuniting the Union as a whole and keeping the United States together as a united force. On January 1, 1863 Lincoln enacted the Emancipation Proclamation which set free all slaves held by force in the rebellious states. This spiked participation in the Union army which was an imperative part of the success of the north. Lincoln enacted this policy knowing it would increase the Union’s chances of winning the war to assist him in reaching his consistent goal of reuniting and rehabilitating the Union including the seceding southern states.

Read More

Why Is Lincoln's Letter To Horace Greely Wrong

804 Words | 4 Pages

He valued the preservation of the Union more than ending the institution of slavery. The president set his goal and used any means necessary to win the war. Emancipation was a convenient consequence of this goal, because abolishing slavery weakened the South and made a legal precedent for slavery. Lincoln did not want to agree with the justifications of slavery, so emancipation as a tool to win the war would benefit both of his desires for uniting a slave free nation. Although, Lincoln naturally opposed slavery and would be happy with the outcome of the war, he would have keep slavery in some states if it meant saving the Union.

Read More

How Did Abraham Lincoln Deserve To Be The Great Emancipator

695 Words | 3 Pages

President Lincoln stated that: “if I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it,..., and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would do it.”. This quote clearly shows that the freedom of slaves was not his concern and unnecessary if it did not help the Union; as the result, slavery still exists if there is no war. Free slave from bondage should be a Great Emancipator’s primary goal and he will do his best to achieve it no matter what, but president Lincoln’s thought differed from that because all he cares was the Union. Although he had many times admitting himself an anti-slavery but his words and thoughts obviously prove that he is

Read More

Abraham Lincoln's Changes During The Civil War

1154 Words | 5 Pages

In the beginning, when the Civil War started back in 1861, Abraham Lincoln only wanted to keep the Union intact. His intentions and beliefs were to seek those states that had withdrawn from the Union and bring them back to their roots. Lincoln’s principle at the start of the war was that the Confederate states had no right to withdraw from the Union. He viewed their actions as extremely disloyal even traitorous, and believed that the Union had the justification to attempt to bring the Confederacy back where it belonged, as part of the Nation. As the Civil War raged on, Lincoln’s views and ideals drastically changed.

Read More

Lincoln's Inaugural Address Thesis

447 Words | 2 Pages

Abraham Lincoln’s position on significant and important topics during the time of this inaugural speech he presented on slavery, the Constitution, and of course the Union was seemingly trying to please all the states possibly in an effort to avoid war, violence, and the unitedness of states. Lincoln’s opinion on slavery is he believes that whether or not a state wanted to be either a slave state or a free state is up to the state itself rather than put into the hands of the federal government. In his speech Lincoln states, “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. ”(First Inaugural Address of Abraham

Read More

Abraham Lincoln Beliefs

1253 Words | 6 Pages

Soon after the Emancipation of the slaves Abraham Lincoln spoke to his nation and concluded that “we have forgotten God” due to the immense and terrible sin of slavery that the nation as a whole committed showing no remorse. Though “there was no need to take positive position on slavery”, Lincoln had the courage to defend other humans who were being enslaved against their own will. President Lincoln made many decisions based on his beliefs including that of the Civil War and Emancipation. Lincoln characterized the Civil War inevitable and knew that he had to pursue the war in order for the union to prosper and remain free. This decision could be simply concluded by his loyalty to the rules of authority of the United States; moreover, Lincoln felt that it was his sole duty to protect and preserve the union.

Read More

October 16 1854 Peoria Speech Analysis

759 Words | 4 Pages

Lincoln uses the speech not only as a mode of intellectual transportation, but also as a sounding board to find out what those he’s representing want to see done in regards to the topic. During the 1800’s slavery within the United States was merely a way of life for those in the south. Slaves were major forces at work within the economic structure of the south, without enough bodies to do the work, production would slow down which in turn would decrease economic profit. Lincoln states, “If slavery did not now exist amongst them, they would not introduce it. If it did now exist amongst us [the North], we should not instantly give it up ( ).”

Read More

Events That Led Up To The Civil War Essay

801 Words | 4 Pages

Lincoln thought that because slavery was talking away a person's freedom slavery should exist in the Union, Lincoln made this clear when he said that the Union was hypocritical because it says that it is free but still has people as slaves. Lincoln thought that it was wrong to take away someone's freedom and that's what the south was doing with slavery but they didn't want to get rid of it because it was how they got wealthy. In one of lincoln's speeches he said that he wanted to see the spread of slavery come to a stop. When Lincoln said this he was talking about the expansion that was taking place which made there be more slave and free states there were many slave owners who wanted the expansion because it meant more territory and that also meant more places there could be slavery. Lincoln played a role in the civil war and this was shown when many southern slave states succeeded between the short time between the election and the inauguration of

Read More

Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

906 Words | 4 Pages

In fact, he even quotes himself from past speeches saying that he has no particular interest in interfering with the institution of slavery “in the states where it exists.” Lincoln says that the government must never interfere “with the domestic institutions of the states, including that of persons held to service.” Lincoln believes that the institution of slavery is not going to be in danger by the new incoming administration; indeed he says that we will protect the institution of slavery because it’s a constitutionally protected law. Moreover, Lincoln says that the constitution does not give him the power to override the institution of slavery, or any of the constitutional protected laws. He discusses about enforcing all provisions of the constitution including the fugitive slave act, a law that says that any slave escaping from a slave state to a free state, must be sent back to their owner.

Read More

Monoculturalism In The Movie Lincoln

1058 Words | 5 Pages

As reaching the end of January 1865, the blacks are only then being invited and willingly a join the whites to stand together in the Congress to adopt the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which outlawed the practice of slavery. Lincoln is constantly on sparing the Union. He viewed himself as the only president who achieved what no other president that can ever attempted on the contribution of his significance. Lincoln portrays as an intelligent person that plays the game of politics with his conscience and his ability. He always get underestimated by his opponents, that he has outwits loads of veterans and turned into a win that modifies the course of history.

Read More

Abraham Lincoln's Accomplishments

1928 Words | 8 Pages

2002). The issue of slavery was one that was affecting the entire country, and threatening to dismantle everything America fought for. Therefore, to Lincoln, slavery was a national issue that threatened the whole country rather than a state issue and needed to be addressed by the national government. Although Lincoln himself did not believe in slavery, he also believed that the movement of the abolitionists were a threat as well to the nation as a whole, he said: “We must not disturb slavery in the states where it exists, because the Constitution, and the peace of the country both forbid us – We must not withhold an efficient fugitive slave law, for the constitution demands it – But we must, by a national policy, prevent the spread of slavery into new territories, or free states, because the constitution does not forbid us, and the general welfare does demand such prevention.” (Abraham Lincoln, (September 16–17, 1859), Notes for Speech in Kansas and

Read More

Examples Of Equality In America

1186 Words | 5 Pages

He tried another point of view on keeping equality in which to get rid of slavery. In this document, Lincoln states, “And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.” With this being said, It sparked a resolution for a terrible conflict. This view was remarkably promoted by Abraham Lincoln, who

Read More

More about Abraham Lincoln Dbq

Open Document