Abraham Lincoln – A Great Leader Essay, Research Paper
?I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am more concerned to know what his grandson is.? -Abraham Lincoln. Everyone knows who Abraham Lincoln is, and for good reason. He is arguably the best leader the United States has ever had. He led as a politician, a president, and in the emancipation of slaves. Everybody thinks of Lincoln as a president, but he was a leader before his presidency too. He stared out as an attorney, but his interests in politics were strong. His first term in congress was a failure, but he returned to politics after the nation’s policy had turned towards slavery. Lincoln opposed slavery his whole life. After returning to politics, Lincoln led a series of anti-slavery debates with Steven Douglas. Lincoln was never elected again to congress, instead he took his leadership to the white house. Abraham Lincoln will always be remembered as one of the greatest presidents. He will be remembered because of his leadership through the Civil War. President Lincoln tried to stop the war from starting as best he could, but he was too set in his ideals to let the South succeed. His main priority was to keep the nation whole. Lincoln believed that he was fighting for world democracy when he was trying to keep the union together. Lincoln was a dedicated leader too, he was only gone from the white house for less than a month. After the war many people wanted Lincoln to punish the South, but he stood up for his views and kept the nation together. He was unable to lead the nation into reconstruction. He was assassinated just five days after Lee surrendered. . Lincoln always was opposed to slavery, and he dreamed of seeing it end. He once said, ?As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.? This was his idea of democracy. He took the leadership role in freeing the slaves when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation freed all the slaves in the United States, although the army was unable to enforce this in the South. Abraham knew that he would be remembered for this act, but he did it because he felt that slavery was evil in nature. The Emancipation Proclamation was extremely controversial. Lincoln stood his ground, as all great leaders must. Abraham Lincoln was a great man. He was honest, humble, and most of all: a great leader. He led in his early political days as well as leading the United States through the toughest time in our nation?s history. Lincoln?s greatest thing he did was free the slaves. He stood up for what he believed in. He believed in the Constitution, the Bible, and the idea that, ?All men are created equal.?