To What Extent Did President Lincoln's Decisions Shape the Civil War?

Section A: Scope of the Investigation

The focus of this investigation will be: What are some of President Lincoln’s major decisions during the Civil War, and to what extent did they shape the war? The study will start chronologically at the beginning of Abraham Lincoln’s first term as President of the United States, and focus on who Lincoln picked as part his cabinet. The examination will then look at the start of the Civil War to its finish, and will focus on some of the major political and war-related decisions Lincoln made during this time period, starting with his use of the bombing of Fort Sumter to declare war, then on his selection of generals for the Union army. It will then move to his more unorthodox decisions, such as those regarding suspension of habeas corpus and his push for emancipation. The investigation will use a variety of primary sources, mostly Lincoln’s writings that have been collected in anthologies. It will also use secondary sources that give a greater overview of the decisions Lincoln made and how they impacted the war.

Section B: Summary of Evidence

When Abraham Lincoln was elected as President of the United States in 1860, he “…made the unprecedented decision to incorporate his eminent rivals into his political family, the cabinet, …” (Goodwin xvi). Lincoln added political rivals to his cabinet, men like William Seward, Salmon Chase, Simon Cameron, and Edward Bates (Goodwin xvi). He choose to do this because “Every member of this administration was better known, better educated, and more experienced in public life than Lincoln.” (Goodwin xvi).

The Civil War began on April 12, 1861 with the bombing of Fort Sumter. President Abraham Lincoln, following the secession of the southern states, sent a reli...

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