Abraham Lincoln: What Makes A Great President?
Over the years we have associated certain presidents with the term “great”. How do we define greatness in the presidency? Arguably, one might suggest that the aspect of being considered a great president is a quality that comes from the individuals characteristics. Their moral beliefs and ethical standards. The way they live life, who they are as a person, and most importantly the choices they have to make as our president, is what makes them great. While others would say, that the pinnacle of their success, of their legacy, is all due to the significance of national and foreign events that transpired during their term in office. Shakespeare once said “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them”
…show more content…
Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president is considered to have been a remarkable great overall man. Coming from a humble background, Lincoln was no stranger to honesty and integrity. He was a well-respected man who took pride in his work. His election of November 1860 was a huge win for the northern union states. Although not everyone was satisfied with his victory, it was marked the beginning of his legacy. While his inauguration hadn’t took place yet, seven states of the union had brought it upon themselves that it was the right time for them to secede from the union and form their own states known as; The Confederate States of America. This was not a welcoming idea for Lincoln, who believed that secession from the union was an illegal act of the constitution. Now faced with the decision of as to whether let these states divide the union and continue on their own path or step in and use his presidential power to declare their actions unconstitutional. With that, the civil war had begun. Clearly he was a man of good morals, distinguishing right from wrong. During the war he was under pressure from free black slaves in the north to end slavery and create an emancipation proclamation. Lincoln who was already against slavery, accusing it of contradicting the Declaration of Independence, went ahead with his own moral beliefs that “every man is created equal” and issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. And just like that “In a single stroke of his pen, Lincoln issued the most revolutionary measure ever to come from an American President up to that time” (Miller Center: University of Virginia). It was through his actions and selflessness that amounted to his great success as the nation’s president during the hardships of the times he was
Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president is considered to have been a remarkable great overall man. Coming from a humble background, Lincoln was no stranger to honesty and integrity. He was a well-respected man who took pride in his work. His election of November 1860 was a huge win for the northern union states. Although not everyone was satisfied with his victory, it was marked the beginning of his legacy. While his inauguration hadn’t took place yet, seven states of the union had brought it upon themselves that it was the right time for them to secede from the union and form their own states known as; The Confederate States of America. This was not a welcoming idea for Lincoln, who believed that secession from the union was an illegal act of the constitution. Now faced with the decision of as to whether let these states divide the union and continue on their own path or step in and use his presidential power to declare their actions unconstitutional. With that, the civil war had begun. Clearly he was a man of good morals, distinguishing right from wrong. During the war he was under pressure from free black slaves in the north to end slavery and create an emancipation proclamation. Lincoln who was already against slavery, accusing it of contradicting the Declaration of Independence, went ahead with his own moral beliefs that “every man is created equal” and issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. And just like that “In a single stroke of his pen, Lincoln issued the most revolutionary measure ever to come from an American President up to that time” (Miller Center: University of Virginia). It was through his actions and selflessness that amounted to his great success as the nation’s president during the hardships of the times he was