Abraham Lincoln had conservative views towards slavery and believed in the need for an emancipation but did not believe in social equality (Abraham Lincoln). His persistency and process to occupy a chair in the high levels of government lead him to fight against well-known political figures such as Stephen A. Douglass. 

During the seven famous debates between the successful lawyer of Illinois, Lincoln, against Democratic incumbent senator Douglass they addressed the conflict over slavery and states’ rights. The election of 1859 results showed that even with the popularity gained by the Republican Party Douglass won the election.

 After a year of continuing here and there with his profession as a lawyer, Lincoln was nominated for the Republican Party as a candidate for the presidency of the United States. The election of May 1860 declared him as the new president. During his presidency he made tremendous decisions to carry out the nation “through the most troubled years in its history.” (Abraham Lincoln) 

During this time, Northerners and Southerners wanted representation of their economy and political interests. With the triumph of President Lincoln many states from the South seceded. The secession started on December 20, 1860- February 1861. The formation of the a new confederacy was formed by the states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and later on joined by the state of Texas, they adopted the name of the Confederate States of America. 

This was a major conflict happening across the country that added a lot of emphasis on Lincolns’ strategy to lead the nation to compromise in the disagreement of interests and how to deal with them. Of course attempts to compromise aroused but many can argue that it was almost impossible to force an agreement between the northern states and southern states. Southern states viewed Lincoln as a “threat” to them. The Crittenden Compromise was a constitutional amendment that will guarantee the right to have slavery in the states. Although what seem to be a convincing solution, the Confederacy and the Union did not get to reconcile. The problem revolved around slavery and political power. In the letter of rebellion the state of Texas released it was notoriously clear their fear to lose power if their rights to own slaves were taken away, and no to mention the resentment towards the winner the election. 

Many historians said the “Civil War was not entirely caused by Lincoln’s election, but the election was one of the primary reasons the war broke the following year.” (Abraham Lincoln [2]) His decision to fight against Southerner states was based on his strategy to keep a unified union. 

            The war opened up with the bombardment of Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861. The situation escalated quickly and in less than 34 hours the battle was over with the Southern navy opening fire towards the Federal navy. Differences in resources gave the North advantages to have better chances of winning the war, some of them are: the north had a population of 22 million people, possessed a manufacturing industry and most importantly had an established naval force, although the struggle to find generals capable to lead the military was quite difficult for Lincoln. Opposite to the South they had a population of 9 million which half consisted of slaves. The south had a united opinion, and also possessed excellent generals. The war ended with the victory of the Union over the Confederates. Slavery was mainly the ultimate objective, the North wanted emancipation and the South fought to preserve its society and its right to own slaves. The war lasted for four years from April 12, 1861- May 9, 1865. 

            While rebellion and chaos prevailed throughout the nation on January 1, 1863, President Lincoln enforced an executive order that will echo for the rest of this nations’ history. He declared “that all persons held as slaves” in Rebel states “are, henceforward shall be free” (Freedom). Moral laws were destroyed by a society that only wanted to satisfy their necessities and by doing this so the need to enslave other people and keep them captivated from their natural rights to be free was murdered. 

            “… sincerely believed to be an act of justice… I invoke the considerate judgement of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.” (A.L. Emancipation Proclamation) 

            The proclamation itself did not freed all the slaves but it set an starting point to a process in where no longer slavery was tolerable. It transformed a society in where black men could strive for a citizenship and welcomed them into the Union Army. Lincolns’ view towards slavery and slave-owners changed drastically. He believed that a just compensation would benefit slave-owners but in the proclamation itself he did not mention such compensation. 

            As a president Lincoln received tremendous amounts of critics from both the Union and the New Confederacy. Some said he was wise and intelligent and others said he was a bad example as a president dealing with states disputes and slavery. (Abraham Lincoln) 

 Thirteenth Amendment 

            The election of 1864 declared that once again the presidency will rest in the hands of Abraham Lincoln.

            For his new term in office Lincoln decided to take slavery to an end. On January 31, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, it banned slavery throughout the United States territory. (Abraham Lincoln) 

             A little more than a month later the war between two “nations” finally was culminated. And with that Abraham Lincolns’ time of serving a nation came to an end with his assassination on April 15, 1865. 

Historians agree that Lincoln led the country through hell and chaos and yet still made progress in the way society is viewed until this day. The process of freeing slaves and giving them natural rights was rather a process. In the present, many historians still debate on whether President Lincoln made a right call to start a war, or even the decision to free slaves and shift the nation’s culture and society during that time period. After Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the passage of the Thirteen Amendment there still was a long way to go, not only for slaves but for the entire country to consolidate and come as a Union. Nowadays president Abraham Lincoln is remembered as one of the best this nation has had. 

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Historians review how the way government operates nowadays will not surprise him. Due to the lack of confidence towards the system. 


1.     "Abraham Lincoln." Civil War Trust. Civil War Trust, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

2.     "Abraham Lincoln." Historic World Leaders, edited by Anne Commire, Gale, 1994. 

3.     "Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation." Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Abraham Lincoln Online, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

4.     "Freedom: as we approach the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation

Proclamation, 11 thoughtful voices explain why it still matters to all of us." American 

History, vol. 47, no. 5, 2012, p. 54+. U.S. History in Context

"Abraham Lincoln." Civil War Trust. Civil War Trust, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

The article described the biography of Abraham Lincoln as well as his decision while being a president. The causes of the Civil War was rather a dispute among states than a decision of the president to create one. He waited until the Union forces to take over the South in the Battle of Antietam to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. The road to reconstruction after the causalities  was the new goal and with Lincoln’s assassination in the hands of a Confederate sympathizer  the country lost a president when they need him the most.  

"Abraham Lincoln." Historic World Leaders, edited by Anne Commire, Gale, 1994. 

Abraham Lincoln did not believed in social equality but advocated for an emancipation. His nomination by the Republican Party as a possible candidate for the presidency Southerners believe he will become a threat to them and specifically their state’s rights. The election of 1860 choose Lincoln as the new president. Southern states immediately seceded to form the Confederate States of America. The sentiments towards this decision reflected tensions between the Confederacy and the Union leading to a Civil War. The results were the Union taking over the South after hundreds of bloody battles and finally with the Emancipation Proclamation. 

"Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation." Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation 

            Proclamation. Abraham Lincoln Online, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

The Emancipation Proclamation did not freed all slaves, only those captivated in the states that were in rebellion. Border States conserved the right to keep their slaves for a little bit longer, only to secure their alliance with the Union. In his address President Lincoln said “… I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States…are, and henceforward shall be free…” 

"Freedom: as we approach the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation

  Proclamation, 11 thoughtful voices explain why it still matters to all of us." American 

History, vol. 47, no. 5, 2012, p. 54+. U.S. History in Context, 

Critics from historians offer and insight of Lincoln’s presidency and how until this day the decisions made hundreds of years ago still matter in the contemporary society and culture.