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Abraham Lincoln Abolitionist Analysis

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Abraham Lincoln Abolitionist Analysis
The blood of fallen soldiers laid in a pool across the land of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Thousands died in the bloodiest massacre in America’s history for the cause of unification and the of ending of slavery. Brothers, friends, cousins, caught on opposite sides of the fight were left with familiar faces being among those they killed. This was the reality for the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was the president at the time, and he was handed one of the most difficult dilemmas to ever face this country. How does one hold together a country torn at its seams? Some historians believe that as well as being a firm and strong leader, he was an abolitionist leader. While it is undisputed that Lincoln was an excellent president, he was wrongfully given …show more content…
While running for Senator in 1858, he ensured that the general public knew he was not an abolitionist. He achieved this by using racist rhetoric and confirming that black people should not, nor should they ever, have equality to whites. He says to a crowd during a speech, “I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races” (Document 1). Leaders don’t throw insults and degradations at the people they are supposed to protect. His lack of compassion and even basic recognition for their humanity shows that he is not an abolitionist leader, and instead uses the issue of black slaves as a way to promote his own political career by persuading the audience of his societally accepted …show more content…
His actions were taken too little too late, and his words were racist and degrading. As said before, leadership is defined by action, and the lack there of is the reason his title of “Man Who Freed The Slaves” should be revoked. Lincoln undoubtedly held the country together during hard times, but great leadership of a country doesn’t make you the leader of a movement founded by brave and powerful people working to do all they can in the hopes of freeing their brothers and sisters of black skin from slavery. Lincoln, because of all of these reasons, was not an abolitionist
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