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Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery Essay

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Introduction

Abraham Lincoln was a notable figure in U.S. history as the country’s president, a well-known opponent of slavery, a martyr, and a national hero. It is known that Lincoln’s rise to power provoked the Southern states to take decisive actions. At the onset of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln gave subsequent presidents an example of how to fully use political and military powers without crossing constitutional boundaries. Abraham Lincoln was a significant leader of the Civil War, whose successes and failures played a substantial role in a better future for the United States.

Abraham Lincoln’s Wartime Leadership

Abraham Lincoln’s significant successes include contributing to the North’s victory in the Civil War, writing the 13th Amendment, and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. Through his activities, Lincoln expressed the interests of the Northern States, advocated expanding the masses’ civil and political rights, and supported women’s suffrage. However, he went through many difficulties before he realized his grand plans. For instance, Lincoln experienced financial problems for a long time, was often blamed for Illinois’s poor economy, and could not run for a fifth term in the legislature in 1842 (Collins, 2019).

At certain stages of his life, Lincoln faced many troubles: defeat for the Illinois state legislator in 1832, business collapse, the run for Congress in 1843 and 1849, and more (Weltman, 2021). Despite such setbacks, he continued to aim high and eventually achieved considerable success. In the Civil War, Lincoln united the warring states into one, under a common national idea, and ensured that the state would continue to develop and prosper, not dissolve the United States. The president believed that slavery significantly inhibited the nation’s development. Thus, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in incremental steps, and all slaves were free.

Conclusion

Therefore, Abraham Lincoln was the most significant figure in American history. He ended the Civil War between the North and the South, managed to prevent the collapse of America, and successfully abolished slavery in the country. At the same time, he experienced several crushing blows of fate, but he did not give up and continued to move forward despite personal and political setbacks. Due to his hard work and perseverance, Lincoln is remembered as the man who brought equality and justice through the Civil War.

References

Collins, B. (2019). . Forbes. Web.

Weltman, B. (2021). . Big Ideas for Small Business, Inc. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2026, January 19). Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abraham-lincolns-civil-war-leadership-and-the-fight-against-slavery/

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"Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery." IvyPanda, 19 Jan. 2026, ivypanda.com/essays/abraham-lincolns-civil-war-leadership-and-the-fight-against-slavery/.

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IvyPanda. (2026) 'Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery'. 19 January.

References

IvyPanda. 2026. "Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery." January 19, 2026. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abraham-lincolns-civil-war-leadership-and-the-fight-against-slavery/.

1. IvyPanda. "Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery." January 19, 2026. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abraham-lincolns-civil-war-leadership-and-the-fight-against-slavery/.


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IvyPanda. "Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Leadership and the Fight Against Slavery." January 19, 2026. https://ivypanda.com/essays/abraham-lincolns-civil-war-leadership-and-the-fight-against-slavery/.

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