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 Abraham Lincoln

Born: February 12, 1809 Died: April 15, 1865 Political Party: Republican Date of term: March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865 Vice President: Hannibal Hamlin (1861–1865); Andrew Johnson (1865)

Abraham Lincoln came into his presidency with the United States of America no longer united. Considering this, and the monstrous responsibility that preserving the Union entailed, Lincoln deserves a B+ for his presidency. He was levelheaded throughout, and this resulted in momentous positives, including the civil rights of slaves. However, with any war comes negative side effects, and while this was unavoidable, the south, and America as a whole, still suffered the consequences; thus bringing his grade down.
 * Thesis: **

Coming into office, Lincoln had no intentions to mess with slavery. In his First Inaugural Address he makes this clear, and declared there would be no conflict unless the South provoked it. He even supported the Corwin Amendment, which protected slavery in the states where it already existed. His main goal of preserving the Union was shattered for a time, as the shots of Fort Sumter declared the start of the Civil War. In 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and his goal was to banish slavery in the Confederate states. This was seen through by Andrew Johnson, who used northern armies to force southern masters to recognize their slaves’ freedom. Unfortunately, true equality for African Americans would not be seen until the 1960’s. Lincoln also hoped to readmit the southern states with minimal disruptions. Regrettably, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln meant that many of his hopes he could not see through himself.
 * Goals: **

Approaching the start of his term, the southern states had already seceded and formed the Confederate States of America. Therefore, that left Republicans and a small number of northern Democrats in Congress, and peaceful relations. With the majority came a relatively free reign. Overall, Lincoln vetoed only four bills, including the pocket veto of the Wade-Davis Bill, which required the South to enforce stronger safeguards for emancipation, and half of the states’ voters to pledge allegiance to the Union. Without the southern representatives and their opposing views in Congress, they were able to pass the Homestead Act in 1862, selling government land in the West for a very small price, and the Pacific Railway Acts. Lincoln also signed the Morrill Act of 1862, proving public lands to states for education.
 * Relationship with Congress: **

After the firing on Fort Sumter and the Civil War began, Lincoln began to issue sketchy orders. He established martial law in Maryland, and also sent in troops to other states to ensure the supports of the Border States. Unheeding to legality, he issued a blockade and increased the Federal army; both were later deemed ok by the Supreme Court and Congress, respectively. Opposing the Constitution, he advanced $2 million dollars to private citizens for military purposes and suspended habeas corpus, after which twenty thousand citizens in the Border States were arrested for. Lincoln did all of these not in defiance of Congress, but for defense of the nation.

After the Emancipation Proclamation, the mood shifts, as parties split and infighting begins. The congressional elections of 1862 went against administration, but Democrats do not control Congress. Soon, they split into the Copperheads, Peace Democrats, and War Democrats, with the War Democrats helping to reelect Lincoln in 1864. The Copperheads were extreme, and attacked the war, as well as Lincoln. Even within his own party Lincoln had troubles, as some looked to remove him from office, and the creation of the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War by the Radical Republicans looked for more aggressive tactics than what Lincoln was providing.

Without a doubt, the Emancipation Proclamation was the most positive outcome of Lincoln’s presidency. This revolutionary speech freed four million slaves, and 180,000 served in the Union Army, helping to win the war. By linking the fight for abolition of slaves to the Civil War, he also gave the North a higher moral cause, which in turn discouraged foreign aid, as the common people of France and Britain sympathized with the North. Lincoln did not free the slaves in the Border States, as he still needed their support, but instead only in the states that were rebelling. Still, the damage was done, as thousands deserted the plantations. The Proclamation in itself was not legal, but slavery was still doomed, as the Thirteenth Amendment followed eight months after the war ended.
 * Positives: **

While the Civil War was unavoidable to preserve the Union, it was still the worst outcome of Lincoln’s presidency. More than 620,000 American soldiers died, which is greater than all American wars combined. Not only was the death toll great, but the South was also ripped apart economically. The whole agricultural industry was destroyed, as slavery was abolished and there was no one to work the plantations, which turned to weeds. Livestock was driven off by the Yankees, so plowing was no longer an option. Thanks to General William Sherman, cities, such as Atlanta, were burned and demolished. His trip through Georgia, or “Sherman’s March to Sea”, resulted in torn up railroad rails, and ruined cotton mills, bridges, and telegraph lines; the total damage being over $100 million dollars. The entire war cost $15 billion dollars. Inflation was tremendous, and caused banks and business houses to fail, not to mention human suffering and starvation. Factories had shut down, and transportation was impossible. It was not easy to rebuild the magnificent society the South had cultivated.
 * Negatives: **

The most obvious impact Abraham Lincoln had on future generations is the abolition of slavery, and yet his influence is not just limited to that. He expanded the President’s role by suspending war time liberties, as it made no sense “to lose the nation and yet preserve the Constitution”. It is certain that the war would’ve ended differently with a different man in his role, and most likely not for the better. Even though he did not live to see it, the 13th Amendment was a direct result of his Emancipation Proclamation, as it prohibited slavery. Other civil rights for African Americans followed with the 14th Amendment, giving them citizenship, and the 15th Amendment, guaranteeing the right to vote. The Pacific Railroad Acts, aiding in the construction of a railroad from the Pacific Ocean to the Missouri River, lead to industrialization. In addition, the plight of the woman was born. In the South, the role of the woman shifted, as she was left to the work on plantations and farms, previously done by men and slaves. In the Reconstruction, they found work as school teachers. Union woman supported the rights of slaves, and afterward battled for theirs as well. It is plain to see the ways that Lincoln affected the future.
 * Impact on Future Generations: **

All events taken into account, Abraham Lincoln earned a B+ for his presidency. While the negative effects of the war pulled down his grade, the positive outcomes of the struggles, such as the abolition of slavery, more than made up for it. America was definitely left better off, and one can only imagine how else he could’ve bettered the United States if he had had the chance. In a desperate time when his country needed him, Abraham Lincoln pulled through for America.
 * Conclusion: **

"Abraham Lincoln |." The White House. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. . "Abraham Lincoln |." The White House. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/abrahamlincoln>. "American President: Abraham Lincoln." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 26 Mar. 2010. <http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/lincoln>. "A House Divided." Digital History. Web. 26 Mar. 2010. <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ahd/index.html>. Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey. The American Pageant. 12th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Print.
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