Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, and is considered by many, to be one of the most successful presidents of all time. In 1922, the Miller Center, a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia, conducted a survey among forty-nine political scientists and historians. They asked these individuals to rate all of the presidents from George Washington to Jimmy Carter on 5 key principals: “leadership qualities, accomplishments/ crisis management, political skills, appointments, and character/integrity.” Abraham Lincoln took an astounding lead above the other presidents in this survey, so when we look to his life and presidency, this result comes as no surprise. Abraham Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861 and served as president until April 15, 1865. During his years in office, Abraham Lincoln made many truly remarkable accomplishments. It was …show more content…
At this time, many controversial topics were tearing the nation apart. It was up to the President to bring unity and answers to a nation to who seemed to have nothing but questions. It was these questions that directed campaigns and elections around the election of 1860. One of these major issues that took center stage in the political arena was that of slavery. This issue did not only focus on the legality of slavery, but encompassed the morality and humanity of the institution. The United States was split by two differing views on this topic. The southern states, whom relied largely on slaves for farming and revenue, were large proponents for the institution of slavery. The southern states in America relied on agriculture, specifically cotton, to maintain their economy. They relied on their slaves to grow and harvest their exports. The northern states were a more industry based society and condoned the south for making slavery part of their every day life. The two divisions had major differing opinions on this