Presidents of the United States: Abraham Lincoln, the saviour of the Union

Editor’s Note: This profile is part of a  series taking a closer look at US presidents ahead of the 2024 presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is revered as one of the greatest American leaders for his role in preserving the Union during the Civil War and for his efforts to end slavery in the United States.

Known as “The Great Emancipator,” Lincoln’s leadership, eloquence, and moral clarity helped steer the nation through its most significant crisis. His assassination in 1865 cut short his presidency but cemented his legacy as a national hero.

Lincoln’s political rise and personal life

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky (now LaRue County), to Thomas and Nancy Lincoln, both of whom were farmers.

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His early life was marked by poverty, and he received little formal education, though he was an avid reader. Lincoln’s family moved to Indiana and later to Illinois, where he worked various jobs, including as a rail-splitter, store clerk, and postmaster, before deciding to study law on his own.

In 1832, Lincoln began his political career with an unsuccessful bid for the Illinois state legislature, but he won election two years later in 1834 as a Whig.

Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in 1842, and together they had four sons: Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas (known as Tad). Only Robert lived to adulthood, with the others dying young.

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Lincoln was a devoted, though often absent, father due to his political career. His marriage to Mary Todd was marked by deep affection but also significant strain, especially following the death of their son Willie in 1862.

During his time in the Illinois General Assembly, Lincoln developed a reputation as a capable legislator and a gifted speaker. In 1837, he moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he established a successful law practice and deepened his involvement in state politics.

Lincoln served a single term in the US House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849, where he was critical of the Mexican-American War and supported the Wilmot Proviso, which sought to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico. After leaving Congress, Lincoln returned to his law practice but became increasingly active in politics as tensions over slavery grew in the 1850s.

The Republican party rises

The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, which allowed for the expansion of slavery into new territories, rekindled Lincoln’s political ambitions.

He strongly opposed the spread of slavery, believing it to be morally wrong, though he did not initially advocate for its immediate abolition in states where it already existed.

Lincoln’s speeches during the famed Lincoln-Douglas Debates in 1858, where he debated US Senator Stephen A Douglas on the issue of slavery, brought him national attention even though he lost the Illinois Senate race.

In 1860, Lincoln’s growing stature in the new Republican Party and his moderate views on slavery made him a viable candidate for the presidency. He was nominated as the party’s candidate and, in a contentious election, Lincoln won the presidency with a minority of the popular vote, thanks in part to a divided Democratic Party.

A Lincoln presidency amid the Civil War

Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861, at a time when the country was on the brink of civil war. Following his election, seven Southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America.

Lincoln’s immediate goal was to preserve the Union, and he rejected any compromises that would have allowed the further spread of slavery.

The Civil War officially began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Throughout the war, Lincoln’s leadership was tested as he grappled with military setbacks, internal dissent, and the immense toll of the conflict.

He initially framed the war as a fight to save the Union rather than as a war to end slavery. However, as the conflict wore on, Lincoln increasingly recognised that the abolition of slavery was central to restoring the nation.

‘The Great Emancipator’

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

While the proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved people, it fundamentally changed the nature of the war, aligning it with the cause of human freedom and preventing European nations from recognising the Confederacy.

Lincoln continued to advocate for the abolition of slavery, and by the end of the war, he supported the passage of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, which would permanently abolish slavery throughout the United States. The amendment was passed by Congress in January 1865 and ratified later that year.

Lincoln’s 272 words

Lincoln’s presidency was defined by his firm leadership during the Civil War. Though he faced significant criticism for his handling of the war and his suspension of habeas corpus, Lincoln remained steadfast in his commitment to preserving the Union.

He worked closely with his generals, eventually finding success with Ulysses S Grant, who led Union forces to key victories in the latter years of the conflict.

Lincoln also delivered some of the most memorable speeches in American history, most notably the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863.

In just 272 words, Lincoln reaffirmed the principles of liberty and equality upon which the nation was founded, framing the war as a test of whether a nation “conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” could survive.

First US president to be assassinated

Lincoln’s efforts to bring the war to a successful conclusion bore fruit when Robert E Lee, the commander of Confederate forces, surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the war.

However, Lincoln would not live to see the full reconstruction of the country. On April 14, 1865, just five days after Lee’s surrender, Lincoln was shot by Confederate sympathiser John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC. He died the following day, making him the first US president to be assassinated.

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Lincoln’s death plunged the nation into mourning, but his legacy as the leader who preserved the Union and ended slavery was secure.

He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest presidents in American history for his leadership, vision, and moral courage during one of the most challenging periods in the nation’s history.

The legacy of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln’s legacy as the “Great Emancipator” and the US president who preserved the Union is unmatched. His leadership during the Civil War and his role in ending slavery fundamentally transformed the United States.

His eloquence, humility, and determination continue to inspire Americans and people around the world. Though he faced significant opposition and challenges during his presidency, his dedication to the principles of freedom and equality left an indelible mark on the nation’s history.