Great American Presidents: Abraham Lincoln

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Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents to ever serve in office in the history of the U.S., serving from 1860 to 1865. A self-educated attorney from Illinois, he proved himself to be a brilliant leader throughout the Civil War period. Although President Abraham Lincoln faced the biggest crisis in American history, he saved the nation by preserving the Union during the Civil War, boosting the economy, by fighting for the abolition of slavery, and by boosting the Northern economy. Abraham Lincoln’s greatest challenge during his presidency was preserving the Union during the Civil War after the Southern states seceded from the Union. There were many dividing issues in the U.S. before his election in 1860, and his presidential victory was the final straw that led to the Civil War. The North and the South were already separating due to regional differences, socially, politically, culturally, and economically. Slavery was one of the biggest factors that led to the division between the North and the South. Preserving the Union while half of the country refused to regard federal law while in secession was extremely challenging, yet Abraham Lincoln decided to fight war against the South not only for the sake of abolishing slavery, but most importantly for the sake of preserving the Union. He was dedicated to fighting for the equality of all men in the U.S., as mentioned in his famous Gettysburg Address: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." He used this to argue a basic point: if all men are created equal, then all men are free. His House Divided speech showed his determination to keep the... ... middle of paper ... ...ialization, and therefore a better economy and more war supplies. By signing those three historical acts, Abraham Lincoln modernized the American economy of the North by opening economic opportunities to millions of citizens, by expanding and improving the Northern educational system, and by uniting the vast Northern region through the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Abraham Lincoln was faced with an extremely difficult crisis during his presidency. Through his brilliant leadership, his passionate speeches, and his great accomplishments, he was able to save the nation. Who knows what would have happened to the nation without the leadership of President Abraham Lincoln. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865 was an extremely tragic day, but his legacy as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the U.S. will never be forgotten.

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