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1861-1865 Abraham Lincoln Vice President was Andrew Johnson. Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address. Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.
Could Abraham Lincoln get elected today? 1860 Lincoln was elected on November 6th as the 16th President. In February of 1861 the Lincolns took the train to Washington D.C. where Lincoln was sworn in on March 4th 1861. After Lincolns election, many Southern states, fearing Republican control in the government, distanced themselves from the Union. Lincoln faced an enormous internal crisis. After the fall of Ft. Sumter, Lincoln raised an army and decided to fight to save the Union from falling apart. Stubbornly, ignoring battlefield setbacks, generals who weren't ready to fight, loss of life and assassination threats, Lincoln stuck with his pro-Union policy for 4 long years of Civil War. January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. This was Lincoln's declaration of freedom for all slaves in the states that were in rebellion. November 19, 1863, Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address which dedicated the battlefield there to the soldiers which had died. He called on the living to finish the task those brave fallen soldiers had started. In 1864 Ulisses S. Grant was named general-in-chief of the armies of the United States. The South was slowly giving up. Lincoln was reelected November 8 1864. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant. Two days later Lincoln addressed a crowd, here he suggested voting rights for certain blacks. On Good Friday April 14 1865, the Lincolns attended a play titled "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre. During the performance the President was shot in the back of the head at about 10:15 p.m. This was the first Presidential assassination in American History. Abraham Lincoln is remembered for his vital role as the leader in preserving the Union of the United States. He also is credited with starting what later put an end to slavery. He is also remembered for his character and as a man of humble origins whose determination and perseverance led him to the nation's highest office and his grave. 1)Summary of his accomplishments: Lincoln abolished slavery. In Lincoln, the historian has a statesman who did not need to maintain himself with self-righteous convictions and who did not need to believe that his side was solely decent and the enemy surely evil. Lincoln possessed the requisite humility, doubt and wisdom to explore important alternatives, and then he invoked the necessary courage to pursue those alternatives. With these Lincoln kept the United States united. 2)Critique: His election split the nation. Lincoln's actions at Fort Sumter precipitated a civil war. Abraham Lincoln suspended the constitution. He called out state militias, expanded the regular Army and Navy, spent monies, suspended the writ of habeus corpus, and authorized military arrest and trials for persons not under military jurisdiction. All of this he did without waiting for Congressional approval. 3)From a modern media perspective could he get elected today? Yes! Lincoln was a great diplomat and had much power of persuasion. His great command of the American-English language combined with his knowledge and intuition created such unforgettable speeches as the Douglas - Lincoln Debates and the Gettysburg Address. About his private life: Would anyone have listened to any young woman if Abraham Lincoln would have had a casual affair with her?
16 Abraham Lincoln Born: February 12, 1809, near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Died: April 15, 1865. Party: Republican. Age when inaugurated: 52. Term: 1861-1865. Lincoln led the Union into the Civil War to preserve the nation and end slavery. He was assassinated just five days after the Confederate armies surrendered. Famous Fact: Polls show that Lincoln is the most admired President. (Source: scholasticnetwork.com)
last updated 02/19/07 |
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