The Shaping of Popular Consent essay
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most prominent American political leaders. He is a unique person who contributed to the development of the American nation. Abraham Lincoln had almost no previous military experience before his entering the White House. Nevertheless, he managed to succeed as a military leader, when he assumed the powers of the U.S. Commander in Chief. His strategic insight, his leadership skills, and his will to fight helped him to change the course of the Civil War” and save the Union.1 Researchers utilized a wide range of sources, including archival documents, biographies, literary works and poems, paintings, sculpture and engravings, to evaluate the role of Lincoln in American history. Abraham Lincoln is represented as the savior of the American nation, the greatest emancipator, “man of the people”, the first American and self-made man. Abraham Lincoln was born in poverty, but managed to get self-education.2 He was the first American President, who was born and raised in the U.S. He gave freedom to the slaves. Besides, he demonstrated his virtues, e.g. honesty, simplicity and self-confidence. Abraham Lincoln’s historical speeches glorify the “virtues of property ownership, individual freedom and American democracy.”3 Thesis Statement: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, led the Civil War, protected the federal territorial integrity, abolished slavery to promote equality. Lincoln was an outstanding person whose place in the U. S. history cannot be taken by anyone else. The major goal of this paper is to analyze the historical significance of Abraham Lincoln for the United States, paying special attention to his role in the Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln: some facts from his biography
Abraham Lincoln, the 16-th President of the United States of America, was born in 1809. According to researchers, he was born “in a log cabin on a barren farm in the backwoods of Kentucky, about three miles west of a place called Hedgesville in what is now La Rue County.”4 In 1811, his family moved to a farm Knob Creek. In 1831, he served as a pilot. In 1834, he ran for the House of Representatives, Illinois. In 1836, he entered John Stuart’s law school. In 1842, he married. His wife was Mary Todd. In 1861, Lincoln was elected president and the Civil war began. In 1863, he used the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1864, he was reelected president. In 1865, the Civil War ended. In 1865, on April 14, Lincoln was shot by his opponents.
The key events that shaped Abraham Lincoln’s life
and influenced his decisions
There are several events that shaped Abraham Lincoln’s life and influenced his decisions. Some of these events led him to making history changing accomplishments. When Lincoln was 9, his mother died. The boy experienced loss, but he did not give up. He was affected by the impact of loss throughout his childhood years. In 1832, Abraham Lincoln served in the Black Hawk War. He was one of those soldiers who joined the independent military units. Abraham Lincoln joined the independent spy company of Jacob Early that major goal of which “to operate separately of the three brigades of the new army.”5 In 1831-1837, Abraham Lincoln lived and worked in New Salem, Illinois. This period in his life played a crucial role in his further career. These years could be defined as “the Vanity Fair of his life”, the time for searching, of disengaging from Mother and Father, and of extending the tendrils of his mind.”6 Self-education helped Lincoln in his political career and in his decision making. This period of self-educations provided Lincoln with massive opportunities in finding answers to many serious questions. He was growing intellectually because he used literature, read Shakespeare and many other classic authors. In 1850, Lincoln’s son died of tuberculosis. This event was a blow to Lincoln. His decision was to refer to God. Lincoln came to the conclusion that everything that happened in his life was God’s will. Lincoln felt self-confidence. He was ready to continue his struggle to never give up. Since that time, Lincoln followed the religious philosophy that all people are created equal. In 1861, Lincoln was elected president. He said, “You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I have the most solemn one to “preserve, protect and defend it.”7
The role of Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln played an important role in the Civil War. He expressed the major war aims, followed the proper strategies and contributed to the success of the North in war. In 1860, during the 16-th presidential election, the Republican Party led by Abraham Lincoln demonstrated its opposition to the expansion of slavery into the territories of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln won the elections, but before Lincoln’s inauguration on March 4, 1861, several states refused to support his political views. As a result, seven states wanted to keep slavery through the formation of the Confederacy. The Civil War was one of the first industrial wars, in which railroads, the telegraph services, steamships operations, and mass production of weapons were widely used. Abraham Lincoln demonstrated the best traits of his character to unite people to fight against slavery. He was “more successful in communicating with the people, more skillful as a political leader in keeping factions working together for the war effort, better able to endure criticism and work with his critics to achieve a common goal” than the leader of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis.8
Lincoln’s greatest speeches reflect his political decisions, morality, and self-representation. He was an excellent orator. The Gettysburg Address is one of his well-known speeches in American history. The Gettysburg Address was delivered during the Civil War, on November 19, 1863, several months after the defeat of the Confederacy army at the Battle of Gettysburg by the Union armies. Here is the first part of the speech, which reflects Lincoln’s role in the Civil War:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.9
Lincoln’s speech lasted just two minutes, he red only ten lines, but as an excellent orator, he managed to sum up the key values and ideals that would help to create one of the most powerful economies of the world. The U. S. President spoke about American independence, about the role of freedom for the Nation. Abraham Lincoln could be viewed as the proponent of peace, as he spoke about the end to the Civil War. The Gettysburg Address was an important tool to ensure the Nation’s commitment to democratic ideals. Abraham Lincoln placed emphasis on equal justice, providing unfaltering resolution and establishing democracy.
Abraham Lincoln as a historical hero
Abraham Lincoln can be viewed as a historical hero. In fact, Americans glorified no historical hero more than the U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. As a Commander in Chief, Abraham Lincoln preserved the Union and as a Chief Executive, he “put a fragile Union back together and ended slavery.”10 The contribution of Abraham Lincoln’s leadership style to the victory in the Civil Way influenced successor generations of American citizens in preserving the established values and legacies. The preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery are two major contributions of the U.S. President Lincoln. As a emancipator of slaves, Abraham Lincoln can be regarded as a national hero. On September 22, 1862, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, in which he said,
That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundredand sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.11
Although the Confederate did not end the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln signed the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in order to turn the war around, fighting for the preservation of the Union and abolition of slavery. The emancipation of slaves in the U.S. led to the Reconstruction Era.
Although Abraham Lincoln was criticized, he succeeded as president and his political decisions and actions led to the numerous decisive battlefield outcomes and confirmed his success as an honest person and powerful political leaders. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. can be viewed as “public confirmation of the judgment of scholars” that this political leader stands for the model of democratic leadership.12 The contributions of Abraham Lincoln to the American nation help to assess his greatness in terms of his presidency, his leadership style and political decisions. Abraham Lincoln’s political strategy was aimed at addressing slavery and ensuring freedom. His role as emancipator has been highly valued by further generation. In general, Abraham Lincoln’s fame is “a growing fame, not a fading fame.”13
During the Civil War, he managed to effectively use the power of government, which included both the political power and military force. His political decisions and actions were based on the equality principle. Today millions of Americans continue to honor the U.S. President Lincoln for his patriotism. He is highly recognized as an anti-slavery leader who was focused on the liberation of millions of Americans. Besides, he is known as a good moral leader. His ethical politics of a moral political leader depended on religious principles. Lincoln was often named as Father Lincoln. His nickname is closely connected with the Bible and biblical principles. In other words, Lincoln was called the father of the Nation as he gave freedom to Americans.
Conclusion
Thus, it is necessary to conclude that Abraham Lincoln is a historical hero who contributed to the development of the American Nation. Abraham Lincoln can be viewed as the greatest president of the 19-th century who helped Americans to enhance the negative effects of the national crisis, guiding the country torn by war. Abraham Lincoln is considered to be one of the greatest national heroes due to his huge impact on the nation, the national values and his amazing appeal. Undoubtedly, the unexpected tragic death at the period of time when he held an important post and his country needed his talent to complete the greatest tasks of the nation, had a strong impact on the public. People did not want to stop their fighting for freedom. Actually, Abraham Lincoln’s personality and his historical role as the savior of the Union and as the emancipator of the slaves established a legacy that continues today. Besides, his expression of democratic principles, and his support for the Union embody the true ideals of self-government that practically all nations strive to obtain today. In general, Abraham Lincoln could win the Civil War, one of the bloodiest wars, which reflected the greatest political crisis of the nation. The preservation of the Union, abolition of slavery gave way to the strengthening of the national government and modernization of the U. S. economy.
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