The Gettysburg Address And Emancipation Proclamation

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The Gettysburg Address is known to be one of America’s greatest speeches made by the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. The Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation made a significant contribution to history by recognizing all humans as equals, redefining the nation at the time, and changing the course of American history by abolishing slavery. There was strife between the North and the South of America, because of slavery. The South had already seceded from the Union and Abraham recognized that he cannot change the laws of slavery. ““My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery.” – Abraham Lincoln, 1862”(KenCohPg425). The Gettysburg Address was written as a tribute to the 7,000 fallen men at the cemetery at Gettysburg. The speech was to remind the people what they were fighting for and what they have been fighting for; freedom for all. Although Lincoln knew that slavery was morally wrong, he could not do anything about it because of the constitution. The three-fifths compromise helped represent some of the slaves, but since the constitution did not forthright say slavery was prohibited, slave owners were protected. But with determination Abraham Lincoln would recognize the change abolitions were making with …show more content…

It is not heard of anymore. Abraham Lincoln was the start to the end of slavery. Change does not happen overnight, but with his stand and determination to freeing slaves, he started a trend. Blacks could finally be free and live their lives. Within the south though, there was a lot of hatred toward them, which meant more change and the equality of all. Which is where Martin Luther King Jr also changed history with having a dream of equality of all peoples no matter their skin color. But none of the change of history could have happened without Abraham Lincoln recognizing the need for change and acting upon