Abraham Lincoln Psychology Essay Example

in winning the war has sought to eradicate slavery. One could only guess what could have happened if the Confederates have won the war. Debates surrounding the issue of slavery were based on the proponents’ interpretation of the concepts in the United States Declaration of Independence, particularly, that all men are created equal. Lincoln was one of the proponents against slavery. His Paoria Speech in 1854 was in response to Stephen Douglas’ proposition on popular sovereignty.

There, Lincoln (1854) stated that the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed the people of a territory to decide whether to enter as a free state or a slave state, “deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world—enables the enemies of free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites—causes the real friends of freedom to doubt out sincerity, and… forces so many really good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the very fundamental principles of civil liberty—criticizing the Declaration of Independence, and insisting that there is no right principle of action but self-interest.Even when Lincoln has led to preserve the Union, he did not do so without terrible regret. After the War, Lincoln (1865) addressed the Nation in his second inaugural address: “Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish…” He acted to preserve the Union and the opening fire did not come from those who stuck with the Union. Before the war, Lincoln was even criticized for moving too slowly to abolish slavery.Furthermore, after the war, Lincoln sought to reunite the nation through a policy

of reconciliation. His assassination in 1865 failed him to see the realization of his dreams, to share the principle that all men are created equal throughout the world.

The American Civil War was considered as the deadliest war in American history, and one of the deadliest through all the history of mankind. But while it has yielded terrible destruction, it has also caused the reconstruction of the nation. Although racism would not be resolved for many more years after the war, slavery was abolished.Opponents of the war criticized Lincoln for not having come up with a compromise.

On the other hand, it could be argued that Lincoln did his best in response to the situation. Who could say what would have happened if the war did not commence? The nation could still be allowing slavery, a concept which violates the very principle that the nation based their independence. After the war, the United States led the abolition of slavery throughout the world. It has also led in the propagation of universal human rights and led in the defense of free citizens of the world.

War is really a terrible thing. The loss of lives and the destruction of property are just some of the effects of war that certainly is not something to be proud of. But with all these undesirable effects come a price that is beyond reproach—the defense of what a country believes to be right. Even as destruction leads to a very rough road, it also breeds creation.

Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War is a proof that freedom, even that of others, is worth fighting for. Furthermore, it has proven the

greatness of the nation even at the expense of countless of lives.