A common controversy in American history is the fact that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. Many claim that he freed them with the Emancipation Proclamation but it’s more complex than that. There were many events that helped free slaves and the Emancipation was only a small portion of America’s journey to freedom and “equality”. In reality, Lincoln helped the process of freeing the slaves but, he did not do it himself. Lincoln was not an abolitionist. In fact he said that if he could save the Union without freeing any slaves he would do it. Lincoln did believe that all men (including black men) should have the right to improve their condition in society and to get paid for their labor. However, he did not believe that black men could