Lincoln the Great Emancipator - 2289 Words

Until it was abolished in 1865, slavery thrived in the United States since the nation’s beginnings in the colony of Jamestown in 1607. In 1776, the founding fathers stated that â€Å"all men are created equal† when they declared independence and started a war that freed the 13 colonies from the oppressive rule of Great Britain. However, after â€Å"the land of the free† had been established, slavery had yet to be eliminated. After the war of 1812, sectionalism began to grow prevalent in America. The Industrial Revolution in the early to mid-1800s advanced the country technologically while further dividing it as the North became industrialized and the South became more agrarian and reliant on slave labor. Sectionalism was increased by westward†¦show more content†¦This became important later in the war when other nations refused to recognize the Confederacy’s independence. When the time was right, Abraham Lincoln masterfully changed the ideology of the war to focus on slavery, and he used the slaves themselves as a powerful force in the war and on the home front. Lincoln did this through the First and Second Confiscation Acts, the Emancipation Proclamation, and his Second Inaugural Address. Early in the war, three slaves escaped to the Union Army, raising the question of what to do with fugitive slaves. Under the Fugitive Slave Act, they had to be returned to their owners in the Confederacy. However, Lincoln adopted an ingenious policy of taking slaves as â€Å"contraband of war,† treating them as property as the Confederacy did. Lincoln went on to sign the First Confiscation Act in August 1861, which emancipated slaves that escaped to Union lines. In July 1862, Lincoln signed the Second Confiscation Act, which essentially gave him the authority to emancipate the slaves in Confederate territory (on the grounds that they helped the war effort and were contraband). This legislation helped the Union Army greatly. Over 190 ,000 soldiers, sailors, and workers came to the Union Army from the Confederacy (McPherson, 193), and at the end of the war, African Americans made up 20 percent ofShow MoreRelatedThe Great Emancipator : Abraham Lincoln894 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Emancipator Abraham Lincoln became the president of the United States of America in March of 1861. While he led the country through one of the worst wars in the history of America, he is most known for abolishing slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, thus giving him the nickname of â€Å"The Great Emancipator.† There are a great amount of debates on whether Lincoln was worthy of this title, one reason being that the Emancipation Declaration was limited and did not abolish slavery,Read MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Great Emancipator2143 Words   |  9 Pages Abraham Lincoln, â€Å" The Great Emancipator,† was the president of the United States from March 1861 to April 1865- when he was assassinated. Lincoln is known world-wide for the Emancipation Proclamation, which accomplished the freeing of the slaves, or so the they taught at the school. What schools don’t teach is that the Emancipation Proclamation had many restraints within it. 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Once Lincoln got reelected in 1864, he set out to succeed inRead MoreThe Great Emancipator By President Abraham Lincoln947 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Emancipator While in office, President Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War, he is most known as being responsible for the abolishing of slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, thus giving him the nickname of â€Å"The Great Emancipator.† Technically speaking, the Emancipation Declaration did not actually abolish slavery in itself, rather it led to the 13th Amendment, which did end slavery in January of 1865. At brief glance, the Emancipation Proclamation’s sole purposeRead MoreAbraham Lincoln: Great Emancipator or Common Politician?1487 Words   |  6 PagesPresident Abraham Lincoln has been revered as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. He is known for his great effect on slavery and served his terms during the civil war in a time of great controversy. The American Civil War (1860-1865) occurred at the exact time of Lincolns presidency (1861-1865). The North and the South were divided and a big issue was slavery, on which Lincoln took an anti-slavery stance. Lincoln has been called many things because of his views fromRead MoreO Lincoln s Reputation As The Great Emancipator1900 Words   |  8 Pageso Lincoln s reputation as the great emancipator rests largely on his emancipation proclamation, an executive order which went into effect on January 1st, 1863. This order ostensibly freed all the slaves in territory currently rebelling against the United States, i.e. in areas where the US government had no authority to free slaves. This is rather like the United States announcing that, from here on out, North Korea would be ruled by Lady Gaga. Sure, it s a great idea, but it s not really yourRead More Abraham Lincoln and Slavery Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Lincoln and Slavery Many Americans believe that Abraham Lincoln was the â€Å"Great Emancipator,† the sole individual who ended slavery, and the man who epitomizes freedom. In his brief presidential term, Lincoln dealt with an unstable nation, with the South seceding from the country and in brink of leaving permanently. The differing ideologies between the North and South about the economy and slavery quickly lead to civil war. It was now the duty of Lincoln to maintain the unityRead MoreThe Myth Of Abraham Lincoln1291 Words   |  6 PagesLincoln was a man of many talents that helped form the myths we know today and that most of those myths are well justified. With Lincoln being a man solidified into history and mythology, have the myths overshadowed the facts that truly made his life historically worthy or is it that within every myth lies an element of fact? 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Many books and movies have been produced about his life to show the role he played in our history and the impact he had on our country. The most recent film, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, captivated audience’s attention with a riveting tale about our sixteenth president hunting vampires. The film contains some