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Abraham Lincoln Dbq Essay

959 Words4 Pages

Name: NISSI EKANEM

Date: 05/08/2018

CRN: 58679

DBQ ESSAY

Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Union and Emancipation, 1861–1865

Even though Abraham Lincoln is remembered as the president that "abolished" slavery, it is also important to remember that there were two sides of the story. “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others, I would also do that”. This quote is from Abraham Lincoln's letter to newspaperman Horace Greeley. Abraham Lincoln was a politician, and the president of a country that seemed to be falling apart at the time. Lincoln's number one goal was to preserve the …show more content…

Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation to "free" the slaves. This would weaken the southern work force, since the south's economy was sorely based on slavery. Freeing slaves not only weakened the south, it also strengthened the North because it gave black slaves the chance to fight for their "freedom" in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of 1863, which recruited black soldiers that was of great service to the Union. Not only did the 54th's add to their number, but their service, especially at Fort Wagner changed the course of the war. So, putting one and two together, it is easy to conclude that Abraham Lincoln set the slaves free to preserve the union. "Ordering the slaves free" was a war strategy. If there was another way of preserving the union that did not involve freeing any slave, he would have gone for …show more content…

Lincoln spoke to the committee to buy their side, so they can support the Emancipation. At that time, the American Civil war was already in place and was going on and he had just announced the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. He put forward the fact that freeing the slaves would weaken the Southern forces or what he called "rebels" because the slaves were their laborers and freeing them would reduce their numbers and ultimately tilt the scales for the North. Lincoln doubted arming the blacks because he felt the fire arms would end up with the South and that they did not even have enough arms to "equip their white

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