The Impact of Abraham Lincoln on American History
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The United States has experienced significant transformation under the leadership of different presidents and Abraham Lincoln is one of the most celebrated agents of change in American history. Lincoln became the head of state in November 1860 prior to the civil war. He was the 16th president born in February 1809. His achievements from the first day of his presidency to the day of his assassination have portrayed him as one of the key contributors to the history of the nation. This paper will focus on the main aspects of Lincoln’s leadership to demonstrate how he impacted the history of the nation during and after his tenure as the U.S president. His main
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achievements in America history include the abolition of slavery, the protection of the Union, the use of speech to present great ideas, the vindication of democracy, and the transformation of the U.S President’s role. Abolition of Slavery One of President Lincoln’s greatest achievements in the history of the U.S was the inception of the movement that aimed at freeing anyone who was termed as a slave and ensuring that all citizens had equal rights. The slave abolition journey started when he issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free slaves within the Confederacy (The White House, n.d). The president aimed at saving the union, but emancipation would later turn out to be one of his major achievements in American history. Later on, Lincoln would lead the nation to a constitutional amendment that outlawed slavery. However, this happened in 1865 after his death when the 13th Amendment was passed (Marsh & Walk, 2008). Slavery was a major concern in the South and initiating a Civil War seemed to be the only solution to the problem. Lincoln did not want to admit it, but the blacks knew that the war was against slavery (PBS Online, n.d). In fact, slavery was a critical concern to the voters even when Lincoln was running for the U.S Senate seat (Ford & Ford, 2013). After being elected as the U.S President, Lincoln lanced the slavery trend and his name will be remembered in the history of the U.S and the world at large even if the world does not recognize his other achievements. Preserving the Union President Lincoln is also remembered in American history for preserving the Union. His decision to fight the Southern states was based on the need to abolish slavery, as well as the U.S President’s sacred duty to preserve the Union regardless of the costs (Civil War Trust, 2017). He wanted to ensure peaceful elections and a peaceful political process where all citizens from the majority and minority political groups had equal rights (Krannawitter, 2008). Lincoln did not want to protect the constitutional right of free elections just because he was a member of the Union, but because the Union was a good idea (Krannawitter, 2008). The Use of Speech to Present Great Ideas President Lincoln also influenced the history of the U.S in the way he delivered his speeches, especially the Gettysburg Address.
In fact, the Address is termed as the most famous speech compared to other speeches that were delivered by Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln Online, 2017). In addition, it is also one of the widely quoted and published speeches in the history of the U.S and the world at large (Atlantic Publishing Group, 2016). The speech was not like any other presidential speech because it was just 272 words long and Lincoln used it as an effective tool for expressing the purpose of the civil war.
Lincoln did not use the Gettysburg address to confine himself to some monosyllabic grunts. Instead, he used it to demonstrate that it was possible to capture a great idea without using the classical style of speech (Conant, 2015). In fact, his speech marked the end of the dominant classical speech in the history of America and American rhetoric (Conant, 2015). The Address was a persuasive rather than a decorative effort. The Address continues to inspire people many years later even though no one knows anything about Lincoln’s voice tones and movement when he was delivering the speech (Yaffe,
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2011). Lincoln’s message came at a time when the entire nation was not ready to accept it and accept equality. Therefore, in the next century, people would advance particular positions by utilizing specific parts of the speech (Peatman, 2013). As a result, the Gettysburg Address did not have any impact until the 1960s when Americans began to recapture its original message (Peatman, 2013). The process of accepting Lincoln’s message of the Gettysburg Address culminated at the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War when American started to rediscover the president’s central message. Eventually, Lincoln’s original message became a valued document with regard to the identity of American citizens. Vindication of Democracy Another significant achievement during the era Lincoln is the vindication of democracy. In the Gettysburg Address, he described the government as the people’s government (Epstein, 2011). His statement was clearly an efforts to rescue democracy. Before he became the President, democracy had started to break down as demonstrated by the decision of the Southern states to secede from the Union. It was Lincoln’s responsibility to ensure that the Union was properly protected and the only way out was to make democracy work. Until Gettysburg, the Southern armies continued to win almost every battle. Nevertheless, Lincoln managed to save America and rescue democracy. As a result, his legacy includes the fostering of world democracy and human rights (Lew, & Lew, 2008). Transforming the Role of the President and the Constitution One of Lincoln’s greatest achievements is the transformation of the president’s role in the history of the U.S. Lincoln is regarded as America’s most activist President because of the role he played in transforming the chief executive’s role into a very powerful position. He turned the Presidency into a more powerful position than the courts and the Congress (Burlingame, 2017). He began his activism almost immediately by expanding the forces (navy and army), spending 2 million dollars without congressional appropriation, blockading southern ports, closing post offices and ordering the arrest and detention of suspected traitors (Billings & Williams, 2010). President Lincoln achieved all of these activist activities by breaking a number of laws and ignoring some constitutional provisions. He started the war without declaring war and before summoning Congress. He also countered the opposition of the Supreme Court by using his own version of the judiciary and making the president the final constitutional interpreter (Burlingame, 2017). In his political-philosophical point of view, it did not make any sense to lose the nation in the name of preserving the constitution (Deutsch & Fornieri, 2005). Losing the constitution meant losing the nation and vice versa. Lincoln believed that the people had granted him the power to take the necessary actions during an emergency. Lincoln viewed the President as a part of the three coordinate departments of the U.S government. He believed that the president was not a subordinate to the courts or Congress (Whittington, 2009). He made his understanding of the president’s powers through a formal opinion issued by his attorney general during a rebellion (Hutchinson, 2010). As a coordinate department of the government, Lincoln stated that the president could act out his own granted powers. This included taking executive actions during an emergency. In general his actions suggested that the President is solely responsible for protecting, preserving and defending the constitution. In addition, the President is held responsible for the overall well-being of the nation in times of crises and war. In sum, it is almost impossible to forget President Lincoln’s achievements and their impacts on the American history. The effects of his decisions, actions and achievements have lasted even beyond his death. The courts and Congress managed to overshadow his executive authority for several years after his death, but some of his accomplishment have impacted the U.S history up to now. The most significant historical accomplishments of Lincoln include the abolition of slavery, the protection of the Union, the transformation of the role of the constitution and the president, the use of speech to capture great ideas, and the vindication of democracy. He managed to accomplish these goals because of his unique ability to present great ideas and mobilize the people. References Abraham Lincoln Online. (2017). The Gettysburg Address. Retrieved from http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm Atlantic Publishing Group (2016). The young adult's guide to public speaking: Tips, tricks & expert advice for delivering a great speech without being nervous. Ocala, Florida: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. Billings, R. D., & Williams, F. J. (2010). Abraham Lincoln, Esq: The legal career of America's greatest president. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky. Burlingame, M. (2017). Abraham Lincoln: Impact and Legacy. Retrieved from https://millercenter.org/president/lincoln/impact-and-legacy Civil War Trust. (2017). Abraham Lincoln. Reprieved from https://www.civilwar.org/learn/biographies/abraham-lincoln Conant, S. (2015). The Gettysburg Address: Perspectives on Lincoln's greatest speech. New York: Oxford University Press Deutsch, K. L., & Fornieri, J. R. (2005). Lincoln's American dream: clashing political perspectives. Washington, D.C.: .Potomac Books, Epstein, R. A. (2011). Direct Democracy: Government of the People, by the People, and for the People. Harv. JL & Pub. Pol'y, 34, 819-826. Ford, C.
T., & Ford, C. T. (2013). The Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln, and slavery through primary sources. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers.
Hutchinson, D. J. (2010). Lincoln the Dictator. SDL Rev., 55, 284-298.
Krannawitter, T. L. (2008). Vindicating Lincoln: Defending the politics of our greatest president. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Lew, Y.-T. D., & Lew, B. (2008). The best of two worlds: Notes of my spiritual pilgrimage. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse.
Marsh, C., & Walk, B. (2008). Abraham Lincoln: America's 16th president. Peachtree City, Ga.: Gallopade International/Carole Marsh Books.
PBS Online. (2013). The Civil War and emancipation 1861 – 1865. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2967.html
Peatman, J. (2013). The long shadow of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Arbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
The White House. (n.d). Abraham Lincoln. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/abrahamlincoln
Whittington, K. E. (2009). Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy: The Presidency, the Supreme Court, and Constitutional Leadership in U.S. History. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Yaffe, P. (2011). The 7% rule: fact, fiction, or misunderstanding. Ubiquity, 2011(October),
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Dilorenzo, Thomas J.. The Real Lincoln: a new look at Abraham Lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war. Roseville, Calif: Prima, 2002
Pittman, Benn. The Assassination of President Lincoln and the Trial of the Conspirators. New York, NY: Moore, Wilstach, and Baldwin, 1865. 83-87. Print.
leading up to and surrounding President Abraham Lincoln’s death. The purpose of this book is to
The Gettysburg Address given by President Lincoln in the November following the Battle of Gettysburg acted as a call to arms. This speech gave the North a sense of pride and reassured them that they did have a chance at winning the Civil War. In The Gettysburg Address, Lincoln tells the audience not to let the men who died in the battle die in vain he tells them that their dedication will lead to a “new birth of freedom” in the nation(document D). This newly found sense of pride and hope led confidence which was something that the Confederate army was lacking at the
In The Real Lincoln, Thomas J. DiLorenzo argues thematically throughout nine chapters about the misconception of Abraham Lincoln. He opens each chapter with an argumentative main body, and then provides sources and examples to back up his argument. In chapter two, the belief that Lincoln was the man who fought solemnly against slavery is questioned. DiLorenzo says that, “… Lincoln stated over and over that he was opposed to racial equality” (11). Before his reign as governor of Illinois and presidency, Lincoln ...
Lincoln’s Famous Address written by Roselynn Marquez talks about how Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was only 270 words, and it followed a two hour introduction by Edward Everett. Being short was not the only memorable point that the speech had. “Another was the simplicity of its language. As historian Allen Guelzo notes, ‘the address relies on crisp, plain vocabulary.’ He points out that most of the words are only one-syllable. Doris Kearns Goodwin concludes, ‘Lincoln had translated the story of his country...into words and ideas accessible to every American.’ By making his ideas easy to grasp, Lincoln gave them directness and power” (Marquez). The Gettysburg Address to this day is known as a unforgettable expression inscribing the war that took on in the country. In summarization, Abraham Lincoln is known widely for the Address he made in Gettysburg after the battle that took place
Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America "Fourscore and seven years ago ." These are the first 5 of only two hundred seventy-two words that remade America. In Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America, the author, Gary Wills, informed us that Abraham Lincoln wanted equality among us and to unite as one. In Abraham Lincoln's own speech, he would not mention single individuals or even top officers. Everyone was considered as equal importance and was never any different. "Though we call Lincoln's text the Gettysburg Address, that title clearly belongs to Everett." 1 This is very true, which I think is interesting. Everett who was chosen by David Wills to commemorate the National Cemetery of Gettysburg, was supposed to be the speaker while Lincoln was only the dedicatory remarks speaker. Not only did Lincoln have the favorable speech, it was only three minutes while Everett's was two hours long. Lincoln also supposedly was not supposed to be there to speak; he actually just told a correspondent that he would be present. It's amazing to believe that a two hundred seventy-two word speech would say so much to thousands of people.
It became the most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of the most widely quoted speeches in history.
Wilentz, Sean. "WHO LINCOLN WAS. (Cover story)." New Republic 240, no. 12/13 (July 15, 2009): 24-47. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed February 26, 2011).
Lincoln had numerous purposes for his Gettysburg Address. Firstly, it was to be used to dedicate the land where the Battle of Gettysburg had taken place as a cemetery for the fallen Union troops, the most obvious and main reason for his address. His second purpose for the address was to change the war on states’ rights to a war on slavery and upholding the ideals that the founders had created in the Declaration of Independence. By doing this, Lincoln was capable to manipulate countries, such as England and France who had not been fond of slavery for decades, in making them loath the Confederacy and make sure other nations would not recognize the Confederacy as a nation.
‘’Four score and seven years ago…’’(Lincoln, 1) You’ve probably heard those six words before, right? On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered ‘’The Gettysburg Address’’. Abraham Lincoln’s purpose in ‘’The Gettysburg Address’’ was to persuade listeners to finish what those who fought for died for by treating everyone else equally. ‘’The Gettysburg Address’’ is the most compelling speech due to its use of rhetorical devices.
Robinson, Luther E. Abraham Lincoln as a man of letters. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: R. West, 1977. Print.
Lincoln had numerous purposes for the Gettysburg Address. Firstly, it was to be used to dedicate the land where the Battle of Gettysburg had taken place as a cemetery for the fallen troops of both the North and the South, the most apparent and central reason for his address. His second purpose for the address was to transform the war on states’ rights to a war on slavery and upholding the ideals that the Founders had authored in the Declaration of Independence. By doing this, Lincoln was capable to manipulate countries, such as England and France who had not been fond of slavery for decades, in making them loath the Confederacy and ensure other nations would not recognize the Confederacy as a nation.
Johnson, Michael, and Allen C. Guelzo. “Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America.” Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association. Michigan Publishing, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Beardsley, Frank. "American History: The American Civil War: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (VOA Special English 2005-04-20)." Interesting Things for ESL/EFL Students (Fun English Study). Www.manythings.org. Web. 12 June 2011. .