Civil War Dbq Essay

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The Civil War was devastating and tragic, but despite the high death rate, the war was crucial to bringing equality and due process to the U.S.. Many elements caused this war, but Abraham Lincoln’s election as president in 1860 was the primary reason, for good or bad. The Civil War lasted from April 12, 1861, to April 9, 1865. It was the turning point for the freedom of slaves in the U.S., however, it remains the deadliest war in American history. The 1860 election and presidential candidate debates left the country overwhelmed and anxious. To make matters worse, many people disagreed with Lincoln’s decision. This split the country into two parts, the North, those who mainly agreed with the president's ways, and the South, those who wanted …show more content…

The Fugitive Slave Act, the publishing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and the Raid on Harper’s Ferry in addition to the Dred Scott Decision were all too much for the country to handle, the only option was war. The Election of 1860 occurred just six months before the start of the war, but debates between Abraham Lincoln, a Republican from Illinois, and Stephan A. Douglas, a Democrat, began two years before. Lincoln and Douglas had a total of seven debates, each three hours long, spanning from August 21, 1858, to October 15 of the same year. Douglas was a fan of popular sovereignty, which meant that each state could choose whether or not they would allow slavery and Congress had no say over the decision. Lincoln argued that the country couldn’t stand as a whole if it was divided by slavery laws, they either had to be all for slavery, or all opposed. Douglas tried to brand Lincoln as an impulsive abolitionist, saying “Mr. Lincoln, following the example and lead of all the little Abolition orators, who go around and lecture in the basements of schools and churches.” This gives the impression that the movement doesn’t have a clear plan or …show more content…

The Battle of Fort Sumter became the first battle in the four-year-long Civil War. On September 24, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued a Presidential Proclamation that suspended the writ of habeas corpus. The writ orders that all prisoners have to appear before a court to determine if their imprisonment is lawful. The suspension of this law allowed the Union to maintain order because those suspected of criminal activities, such as disloyalty to the Union through slavery, didn’t have to have a trial to be detained. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The proclamation stated that “all persons held as slaves within said designated States, [rebellious states] and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free.” Not only did this free their slaves, and with that, jeopardized the Southern economy, but it strengthened the Union forces and greatly affected the outcome of the war. The Gettysburg Address was delivered on November 19, 1863, by President Lincoln. The address took only two minutes to deliver, following the memorial service for the soldiers who died in the Battle of

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