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Abraham Lincoln: Taking A Stand Against Slavery
Kole Petersen
Junior Division
Historical Paper
Paper Length: 1566 Words
“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free - honorable alike in what
we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth.
Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just - a way
which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God will forever bless.” - Abraham
Lincoln1
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most, if not the most, celebrated American president of all
time. “Honest Abe”, as he was called, took a stand in many different ways. He made the
decision to fight to prevent the United States from falling apart, was a commander in chief in the
Civil War, and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.2 Perhaps the greatest way that Lincoln
took a stand was when he helped ratify the 13th amendment, the statement that abolished slavery
in the U.S.A forever.
The Origins Of Slavery in the U.S.
European settlers began to turn to African slaves in the early 17th century as a more plentiful
and cheaper source of labor. At the time, they were using servants, which were mostly poorer
Europeans. After the first 20 Africans were brought to the colony of Jamestown, Virginia in
1619, slavery started to spread throughout the colonies. An estimated 7 million slaves were
imported to America in the 18th century alone. This caused the African continent to lose some
of its most able men and women.3
The daily lives of the slaves were absolutely miserable. Even young children, pregnant
women, and the elderly worked from sunrise to sunset. During harvest time, they had to work an
eighteen hour day! They were usually allowed Sundays and a few holidays, like Christmas, off
from work. Slaveholders didn't give their slaves a healthy diet, clothes, or a nice home. They
mostly ate food that they grew from small pieces of land they farmed or fish that they caught.
Many wore clothes made out of rags, and they lived in small houses with a dirt floor. 4
Lincoln’s Ever Changing Views On Slavery
Starting in his childhood and continuing to his later years, Abraham Lincoln was against
slavery. However, his views on it altered throughout his life. He started out as an inactive
abolitionist. He believed that slavery was unacceptable, but also thought that it was legal due to
it being in the Constitution. In 1855, he started to speak against slavery, but not as openly and
thoroughly as his challengers did in favor of slavery.
In Lincoln’s early life, he wasn't a radical abolitionist or a violent director. He thought
slavery was morally wrong, but he didn't think that abolishing it would work out the problems
and make everyone delighted. He believed that if slavery was left alone, it would work itself
into extinction sooner or later. As he evolved into a more distinguished politician, Lincoln’s
opinion on the matter began to change. He started to speak out more frequently about the
wrongs of slavery. He stated that “the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad
policy.”
Lincoln began to understand the importance of the slave issue as he became more involved in
politics. He started to speak more wholly on slavery with the ratification of the Kansas-Nebraska
Act, which allowed slaves to be kept in the new territories of Nebraska and Kansas.5 In his
Peoria speech, Lincoln castigated popular sovereignty, dismissed disputes that climate and
geography would keep slavery out of the two territories, and assailed slavery itself.
The Start of The War Against Slavery
On the day of November 6, 1860, Abraham won the presidential election against his
opponents Stephen Douglas, John Bell, and John C. Breckinridge. Not a single Southern state
supported him. Talk of secession took on a more serious tone. The Civil War wasn't solely
caused by this election, but it was one of the primary reasons why the war started the following
year.
Instead of letting the Southern states leave the Union, Lincoln decided to go to war.
Surprisingly, this decision was not based on his feelings of slavery. Rather, he felt it was his
duty as the 16th President of the U.S.A to secure the Union, no matter what the cost. His first
inaugural address was an appeal to the rebellious states, seven of which had previously seceded,
to rejoin the United States.6
Five months and 6 days after Lincoln won the 1860 election, Lincoln transported provisions
to Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, against the advice of the majority of his Cabinet. On the
day of April 12, 1861, General P.G.T. Beauregard opened fire at the fort, and the Civil War
suddenly begun. After a 34 hour long battle, United States Maj. Robert Anderson and his army
of 85 soldiers surrendered. This battle was the beginning of America's deadliest war, and the
start of Lincoln’s mission to abolish slavery forever.7
The Emancipation Proclamation
During The War Between the States, Lincoln held the highest position in the U.S armed forces,
commander-in-chief. He led the Union army through numerous battles, losses, and casualties.
He also discovered something during the start of the war. The Constitution protected slavery
during times of peace. But, he thought, in times of war, the commander of chief could abolish it
as a military requirement.8 By mid-1862, Abraham had came to believe in the need to end
slavery. Other than his hatred for the institution, he utterly felt that the South could not come
back into the United States after attempting to sabotage it.
In mid-1862, Abraham indicated to his Cabinet that he wanted to publish a proclamation of
freedom. They persuaded him to wait until a major Union military success before issuing it.
That victory that Lincoln desired came at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. Just
five days after the battle was fought, Lincoln decided to release the Emancipation Proclamation,
effective on New Year’s Day 1863. Unless the Confederate States returned to the Union on that
very day, he declared that their slaves “shall be then, thenceforward and forever free.” This
proclamation conceived an atmosphere where the annihilation of slavery was seen as one of the
primary objectives of the Civil War. The proclamation itself actually discharged a slim amount
of slaves, but it was the death knell for slavery in the U.S.9
The 1864 Election and the Thirteenth Amendment
Soon after the proclamation was released, the Union army and Lincoln had a new, clear goal
that they wanted to accomplish before the Civil War ended; free every slave. They fought
against the Confederate in numerous bloody battles, including the Battle of Shiloh (which they
won) and the Battle of Chancellorsville (which they lost). They suffered a huge amount of
casualties in all of these battles.
Three years after the war started, the thirteenth amendment was proposed. It was passed by
the Senate with a vote of 38 in agreement to 6 against, but it was defeated by the House of
Representatives. The vote here was 98 to 65, not conforming to the two-thirds majority rule. In
fact, only four Democrats voted for the amendment to be passed; abolishing slavery was nearly
exclusively a Republican effort. Soon after this event took place, Abraham began to take an
active role for it to be pushed through Congress. He used all of his political skill and influence to
persuade additional Democrats to support the passage of this amendment.10
During this time, he also ran for a second term as president. He was worried that he would
not win after over three years of war. But on November 8, 1864, Lincoln was announced the
winner of the election. He beat opponent George B. McClellan by 191 electoral votes and over
500,000 popular votes.11 This election was so crucial because its outcome would determine the
direction of the war. If Lincoln won, it would be fought until the South had surrendered
unconditionally. If McClellan was the winner, a settlement was almost guaranteed to happen.
Therefore, this election was the Confederacy’s last hope for survival.12
On March 4, 1865, nearly 4 months after he won the 1864 election, Lincoln was sworn for his
second term as the president of the United States and gave a short inaugural address. Considered
by a plethora of people his greatest speech, it is carved on a wall of the Lincoln Memorial.
During the end of the speech, he set the tone for the United States’ Reconstruction. He said,
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see
the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for
him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may
achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”13
Prior to this event, on January 1865, his efforts to pass the thirteenth amendment finally
proved successful, when the bill was passed by the House of Representatives with a vote of
119-56. Abraham supported those congressmen that demanded that southern state legislatures
must approve this amendment before their states would be allowed to return with full rights to
Congress.14 Alas, Lincoln would not live to see the final ratification of the thirteenth
amendment. While attending a screening of the performance, “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s
Theatre in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth shot him in the back of the head. He was
pronounced dead the next morning at 7:22 a.m.15
Conclusion
Even though he didn't live long enough to witness the final ratification of the amendment that
abolished slavery, the 16th president was a tremendous help in getting that monumental event to
happen. Using his political influence and skill, he persuaded many people to support the passing
of the amendment. Few people doubt that Lincoln took a stand in history with all that he
accomplished, and he will always be remembered for his heroic actions.
Endnotes
1 Norton, Roger J. "A Collection of Abraham Lincoln Quotes (Including Sources)." A Collection
of Abraham Lincoln Quotes (Including Sources). N.p., 29 Dec. 1996. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
2 Norton, Roger J. "The Accomplishments of President Abraham Lincoln." The
Accomplishments of President Abraham Lincoln. N.p., 29 Dec. 1996. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
3 History.com Staff. "Slavery in America." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web.
20 Jan. 2017.
4 UNC School Of Education. "3.1 The Life of a Slave." The Life of a Slave - North Carolina
Digital History. UNC Libraries, 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
5 Kendall, Shelley. "Lincoln's Changing Views on Emancipation." Lincoln's Changing Views on
Emancipation. Illinois Periodicals Online, Feb. 1997. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
6 "Abraham Lincoln." Civil War Trust. Civil War Trust, 2014. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
7 "The Battle of Fort Sumter Summary & Facts." Civil War Trust. Civil War Trust, 2014. Web.
22 Jan. 2017.
8 Kevin. "Abraham Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
9 Ushistory.org. "The Emancipation Proclamation." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall
Association, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
10 Liedner, Gordon. "The Thirteenth Amendment." Great American History Thirteenth
Amendment-. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
11 Hallowed Ground Magazine, Fall 2014 Issue. "The Election of 1864." Civil War Trust. Civil
War Trust, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
12 "The Final Year: 1864-1865." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
13 President Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)." Our Documents - President
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
14 “The Thirteenth Amendment.” Great American History Thirteenth Amendment-. N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Jan 2017
15 History.com Staff. “Abraham Lincoln's Assassination.” History.com. A&E Television
Networks, 2009. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
Appendix I
Presidential Portrait of Abraham Lincoln
Source:https://www.whitehousehistory.org/galleries/presidential-portraits
Appendix II
The Thirteenth Amendment signed by Abraham Lincoln and Congress
Source:https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mal&fileName=mal3/436/4361100/malp
age.db&recNum=0
Annotated Bibliography
Primary Sources
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/abraham-lincoln.html
This article on this incredible Civil War website is a short, but useful biography about Abraham
Lincoln. It has information on Lincoln's early life, presidency, and more. I used this biography
for the “The Start Of the War Against Slavery” section of my paper.
http://www.civilwar.org/hallowed-ground-magazine/fall-2014/the-election-of-1864.html
Another article on the Civil War Trust site, this one informs you about the 1864 election
campaign, as well as the actual election. I learned a lot about the election and the events leading
to Lincoln winning it. I used this article for the “The 1864 Election and the Thirteenth
Amendment” section.
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery
This famous history website with its own TV channel has a plethora of articles on nearly every
historical event. The one I read was all about the beginning of slavery in the United States. It
had plenty of facts and information about it. I used the information for the “The Origins Of
Slavery in the U.S.” section of my paper.
http://www.history.com/topics/abraham-lincoln-assassination
Another piece of information on the History.com website, this article informs you on the events
of Lincoln's tragic assassination. I learned exactly how John Wilkes Booth planned the
president’s assassination, and I used the information for the end of the “The 1864 Election and
the Thirteenth Amendment” section.
Secondary Sources
http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln78.html
The so called Abraham Lincoln Research Site is a wonderful secondary source to look up and
check information you find on other sources. This particular part of the site is great for locating
the sources of many of Lincoln's quotes. I used this to find the quote I used in the beginning of
my paper.
http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln87.html
Another part of the Abe Lincoln Research Site, this article lists some of Lincoln's major
accomplishments throughout his life. This is a nice, short article to read to learn about Lincoln's
many accomplishments, and I used the ideas from it in the introductory paragraph.
http://www.anb.org/articles/04/04-00631.html
The American National Biography has countless biographies of famous Americans, Lincoln’s
included. His biography has a lot of information about Lincoln's early life and political career. I
used this site to find and check information I found on other sources.
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1997/ihy970237.html
The Illinois Periodicals Online site is an imaging project funded by the Illinois State Library.
The article I read in particular has quite a bit of information of Lincoln's changing views on
slavery. I used this very interesting article for the “Lincoln's Ever Changing Views On Slavery”
section.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-antebellum/5602
The official website of the Learn NC program, this site has many books, articles, and textbooks
to read. The chapter of the book “Slavery in North Carolina” that I read has some information
about the daily lives of slaves. I used this site for part of the “The Origins Of Slavery in the U.S”
section of my paper.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/34a.asp
This website has a ton of information on the entire history of America, from before Columbus
discovered the America to today. The specific article that I read had information about the
Emancipation Proclamation as well a copy of the document. This useful page helped me write
part of the “The Emancipation Proclamation” section.
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/civilwar/section8.rhtml
This website has information about nearly everything you can think of. I used the information
from the article I read as a backup source for the Civil War and 1864 election information I
found.
http://www.greatamericanhistory.net/amendment.htm
This amazing website has information on the Civil War, American Revolution, and, of course,
Lincoln. Managed by Gordon Liedner, author of several popular books about Lincoln, this site
has all of the information you could ever want. I used this source to learn more about the
Thirteenth Amendment.