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To What Extent Was Lincoln's Goals Of The Civil War

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At the time of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was confronted by an enormous challenge of preserving the Union. Although he remained true to his goal of preventing the United States from splitting throughout the course of the war, Lincoln had made some fundamental changes in his war strategy in order to achieve his ultimate aim. Instead of making preservation of the Union the only goal of the Civil War, he also declared that the abolition of slavery would become another purpose of fighting this war. As a means to keep the United States from splitting, Lincoln decided to free the slaves in order to increase the war effort, decrease the resistance of the South, and create a stronger central government.
“Abraham Lincoln became president …show more content…

He cared more about the outcome of the war that was fought for the people and the progress being made in order to achieve his main objective of the war – preserve the Union. Once again, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation helped him in his efforts to create stronger central government. Firstly, it encouraged the rising tide of patriotism in American people. Lincoln was “a master of the written and spoken word.”9 Thus, all his speeches and letters had a huge impact on American citizens. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in November 1863 was another famous speech that affected many Northern citizens. It encouraged them to be more active in the war efforts, as Lincoln’s words really touched the hearts of numerous Americans. He mentioned those who gave their lives in this great war for the Union, so that the nation could prosper and said that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”10 This speech served as an appeal to the citizens to stand up and be ready fight on the path to pursue the main goal of the Civil War – restoration of the Union. Lincoln used the war over slavery as a strategy that helped unite not only slaves, but also other people who strongly supported the abolition of slavery. Not only he was able to achieve the solidarity and cohesion of many citizens, but also increase their faith in the decisions and acts of the government. More people supported Lincoln because they truly believed that he wanted to protect their interests and that his decisions and strategies were essential in order to achieve the main objective of the Civil War. Thus,

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During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency at the start of the 1860, an issue that had divided the nation was slavery. Lincoln’s election to presidency as a republic was not received well by the Southern slave states, as they thought that as a republican he was out to abolish slavery. In an effort to calm southern states and keep them from seceding from the United States, he attempts to ease them with his First Inaugural Address. In his First Inaugural Address his key points are to clam southern leaders of slave states, keep the states from seceding, and make them at ease as he enters presidency.

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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.

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1. When President Lincoln was elected there were only two significant forts in the South that flew the Union flag. Explain in paragraph form Lincoln’s middle-of-the road solution to bring needed supplies to Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. When President Lincoln was elected, only two significant forts in the South still flew the Union flag. Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston (South Carolina), needed supples in order to support its men.

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Lincoln allowed slaves to cross over to the Union and join their army to help fight the Confederates. This helped increase the Union's population well above the South's and gave the Union the advantage. The main goal after the Proclamation was issued was to abolish slavery while uniting the country. This goal was achieved from the effects of Lincoln's

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He says, “If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them.” This persuaded the border states to stay with the North because the only issue they had was keeping slavery. In addition, when to publish the Emancipation Proclamation was an issue, but Lincoln was told not to do so. He waited to publish the Emancipation Proclamation after a victory because if he issued it after a loss, he would have seemed

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President Lincoln early in the war realized that if the Union was to win the war against the Confederacy, that steps would need to be taken to return the seceded states back into the Union and stabilize the United States as one front to the rest of the world. President Lincoln also understood that part of the reason for secession of southern states was due to Federal Government infringing on state’s rights and to mitigate this issue he believed that a more moderate approach was needed for a quick a successful reconstruction to occur. Under Lincoln’s original plan, the Confederacy and its people would not be sought out for punishment, but as equals in a joint effort to return the United States to its prewar era. His plan for Reconstruction was

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Furthermore, Lincoln knows that his duty is to prevent a Civil War in America. He claims that he will use his power as president to keep the United States of America united. In another source, the authors write, “ The North’s victory in the Civil War strengthened the power of the federal government over the states. It also transformed American society by finally ending the enslavement of millions of African Americans” (277). This quote shows how Lincoln affected America after the Civil War.

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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

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Not only had Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation, but he is also the creator of the Gettysburg Address. “The sorrows of war and its rigorous necessity afflicted him; he expressed both in one of the noblest public speeches ever made, the Gettysburg Address, made at the dedication of the soldier’s cemetery at Gettysburg in 1863.” (Columbia University). Not only had he announced the freedom of slaves, Abraham Lincoln had the ability to make one of the most famous speeches of all time. There were social, economic, and cultural influences on Abraham Lincoln which affected his lifetime achievements.

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Final Essay: Intro: Slavery was one of the most controversial issues during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. During his presidency, sectionalism became more prominent as the southern states attempt to secede and rebel against the northern states. As a result, this triggered America to resort to a civil war that has an objective to resolve this issue. However, "President Lincoln insisted that the war was not about slavery or black rights; it was a war to preserve the Union" (Harper). President Lincoln, "Also declared that he had no intention of ending slavery where it existed" (Old Sturbridge Incorporation).

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On November 19th, 1863, four and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy in the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln addressed the American public regarding the Civil War. Lincoln was in the third year of his presidency, the third year of a long and grueling war against the Southern secession; Lincoln was duly responsible for running a campaign for reelection, and for holding out against the Confederacy in the Civil War. As a major figure at such a key point in history, Lincoln had multiple target audiences to which he had a different core message. Lincoln was giving Union Soldiers something new to fight for, redefining the war for those from northern and border states with ambiguous feelings toward the war, and projecting a

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The Civil War was a very influential turning point in the history of the United States. The war not only strengthened the connection of the states, specifically between states in the north and south, but it also resulted in the end of the old way of life in the south, known as the old south. The way of life style in the Old South was loved by many, Rhett from Gone With the Wind being one of them. Rhett and his future wife, but current friend Scarlett were fleeing Atlanta after an attack from the north when Rhett told Scarlett that she was witnessing the end of the Old South. Rhett is truly speaking the truth in this scene.

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Through the analysis of his speech, it is evident that Lincoln was aiming at preserving the union and this made a great contribution to American Civil War. His act of preserving the union was for the sole purpose of strengthening the country and bring it closer through his ideas that were open minded. Through his speech we can point out the cause of the civil war, the people responsible for it, the consequences of the war and also why his inauguration speech is considered important in early history of America. The actual event was propelled by the victory of the Union which was attained only after a lot of blood was shed and the results were the abolition of slavery.

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The beginning of the Civil War marked an objective not originally to free the slaves, but to merely preserve the union. Lincoln 's original goal was simply to save the country. He outwardly proclaimed, as did Congress, that he had no intention of defeating previously established institutions. As Congress and President Lincoln continued to deny that they will emancipate the slaves, the certitude still remains that everyone in this divided country is calling for something to be done concerning slavery. The government attempted to avoid the issue of slavery and Lincoln strive to keep focus on preserving the union took away from the issue.

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Lincoln’s main purpose was freedom, and the blacks began to search for identity. On 1 January 1863, “Lincoln proclaimed that the freedom of all slaves in rebellious regions was now a Union war aim- ‘an act of justice’ as well as ‘military necessity’

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