Compare And Contrast The Separation Of Priorities During The Civil War

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Although Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were allies during the war and at the start of reconstruction, they had separate priorities that set an obstacle for Douglass and his goals. Lincoln was a helpful member of Douglass’s team in bettering the lives of black Americans, but because he had his eyes set on ending the Civil War, Douglass was only able to make small steps forward. The most notable changes that arrived during the reconstruction were the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. Freedom for all slaves, all African-Americans receiving protection under the law, and the right to vote set a new pathway for change to continue. Despite their differences in priorities and personality, there were several reasons as to why …show more content…

Douglass aimed for a direct approach to change what was an evil that required removal, however Lincoln was more in favor of reunite the divided country first. In retrospect, given Lincoln’s circumstances, he had to keep his approval rate tolerable and also follow his own beliefs, but he could not do both of these at the same time. Both men shared a respect for each other despite their differences, and were grateful for their partnership for their shared opinion of social and political restructure. During the period of reconstruction, when Lincoln started it and when it had carried on to Andrew Johnson, there was still a period of unrest. There was no more support from Lincoln due to his untimely death, and so Douglass had to carry his word around with only his supporters to aid him. Those against equality of the races tried to erase the progress Douglass and Lincoln made in their collaborations, but even they could not stop the evolution and growth of new opinions and shared ideas. At the end of reconstruction there was still negativity towards the black community, but from this time and forward, it can be safely said that Douglass and Lincoln progressed society, and achieved their goals to an extent. There is still work to be done, but in time, there will be the peace and equality that they strived to