Abraham Lincoln as the President of America
Abraham Lincoln
Lawrence Bays
Axia The University of Phoenix
HIS/115
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president for the United States of America. He was considered on of the greatest presidents because of his fight and success in getting rid of slavery. Before Lincoln was president he was a self-thought lawyer from Illinois. Lincoln was president from March 1861 until his assassination by Johns Wilkes Booth in April 1865. Abraham Lincoln had many views on slavery and not a lot of people know exactly what they were. Lincoln did believe that slavery was morally wrong, but there was one big problem: It was sanctioned by the highest law in the land, the Constitution. The nation’s founding fathers, who also struggled with how to address slavery, did not explicitly write the word “slavery” in the Constitution, but they did include key clauses protecting the institution, including a fugitive slave clause and the three-fifths clause, which allowed Southern states to count slaves for the purposes of representation in the federal government. In a three-hour speech in Peoria, Illinois, in the fall of 1854, Lincoln presented more clearly than ever his moral, legal and economic opposition to slavery—and then admitted he didn’t know exactly what should be done about it within the current political system.
Lincoln didn’t believe blacks should have the same rights as whites. Though Lincoln argued that the founding fathers’ phrase “All men are created equal” applied to blacks and whites alike, this did not mean he thought they should have the same social and political rights. Lincoln thought colonization could resolve the issue of slavery. For much of his career, Lincoln believed that colonization—or the idea that a majority of the African-American population should leave the United States and settle in Africa or Central America—was the best way to confront the problem of slavery. His two great political heroes, Henry Clay and Thomas Jefferson, had both
Lawrence Bays
Axia The University of Phoenix
HIS/115
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president for the United States of America. He was considered on of the greatest presidents because of his fight and success in getting rid of slavery. Before Lincoln was president he was a self-thought lawyer from Illinois. Lincoln was president from March 1861 until his assassination by Johns Wilkes Booth in April 1865. Abraham Lincoln had many views on slavery and not a lot of people know exactly what they were. Lincoln did believe that slavery was morally wrong, but there was one big problem: It was sanctioned by the highest law in the land, the Constitution. The nation’s founding fathers, who also struggled with how to address slavery, did not explicitly write the word “slavery” in the Constitution, but they did include key clauses protecting the institution, including a fugitive slave clause and the three-fifths clause, which allowed Southern states to count slaves for the purposes of representation in the federal government. In a three-hour speech in Peoria, Illinois, in the fall of 1854, Lincoln presented more clearly than ever his moral, legal and economic opposition to slavery—and then admitted he didn’t know exactly what should be done about it within the current political system.
Lincoln didn’t believe blacks should have the same rights as whites. Though Lincoln argued that the founding fathers’ phrase “All men are created equal” applied to blacks and whites alike, this did not mean he thought they should have the same social and political rights. Lincoln thought colonization could resolve the issue of slavery. For much of his career, Lincoln believed that colonization—or the idea that a majority of the African-American population should leave the United States and settle in Africa or Central America—was the best way to confront the problem of slavery. His two great political heroes, Henry Clay and Thomas Jefferson, had both
References: Abraham Lincoln (2013) Retrieved From http://www.history.com/topics/abraham-lincoln Bill of Rights in Action (2006) Retrieved From http://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-22-4-b-slavery-civil-war-and-democracy-what-did-lincoln-believe.html Sarah Pruitt (2012) 5 Things You May Not Know About Lincoln, Slavery and Emancipation Retrieved From http://www.history.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-lincoln-slavery-and-emancipation