Lincoln, the Movie

Lincoln is a riveting movie on the true events leading up to the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment and the end of the Civil War. Lincoln is directed by Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis starred in the movie as Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln is based on the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Lincoln was nominated for twelve Academy Awards. Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor in a Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards. Despite all the good praise for Lincoln, there was still some criticisms about the Lincoln by movie critics. The movie critics claimed the movie was not completely accurate and was exaggerated. However, even historians agreed Lincoln was a thought provoking movie that would make people look for more information on the life of Abraham Lincoln.

The movie Lincoln focuses on the four months of Abraham Lincoln's life before his death. Lincoln starts in January 1865. In the movie, Lincoln is afraid the Emancipation Proclamation will be denied by Congress once the Civil War ends. Lincoln also fears the Thirteenth Amendment will not be passed once the southern states are reunited with the northern states. The Thirteenth Amendment concerns the freeing of slaves. Lincoln has to get some Democrats on board with the Thirteenth Amendment if Lincoln wants the Thirteen Amendment passed. Since the Civil War is projected to end in less than a month, Lincoln had to get to work. Lincoln's advisers advise him to wait until the new Congress is in place. However, Lincoln is firm in his belief of the Thirteenth Amendment needing to be passed immediately. Lincoln goes to the head Republican, Francis Preston Blair, to use Blair's influence to get all the Republican vote. Blair tells Lincoln that in order for Blair to endorse the Thirteenth Amendment, Blair must go and seek peace with the South. Blair's request is frustrating to Lincoln, as the Radical Republicans Lincoln got votes from are extremely against a negotiated peace that allows slavery. However, Lincoln needs Blair's vote, so Lincoln allows Blair to go make peace with the Confederates. Next, Lincoln focuses on the “lame duck” Democrats' vote. Lincoln believes since the Democrats lost the re-election, the Democrats will not be aiming to please the public and will vote the way they so choose. Lincoln cannot give the Democrats bribes, so Lincoln has individuals go and discreetly offer the Democrats federal jobs in return for their vote.