Question 3
What are Abraham Lincoln’s views on the institution of slavery and notion of racial equality (Documents 5 and 6)?
In both excerpts of his speeches, Abraham Lincoln expresses his views on slavery and racial equality in a very impartial and lawful manner. Rather than represent partisan interests (i.e. North vs. South), he addresses the institution of slavery as an issue of the nation as a whole. He does not defend the abolition of slavery on the grounds that it unjustly denies African-Americans basic human rights, but rather on the grounds that it threatens the legitimacy of the Democracy, that it puts into question the fundamental principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, and that it enables the “enemies of free institutions” …show more content…
They are just what we would be in their situation.” Lincoln acts, not as an advocate for either Republican or Democratic interests, but rather as a judge of morality and justice. To me this appears to be a very powerful political tactic in gaining bipartisan …show more content…
The Thirteenth amendment formalized the abolition of slavery at the national government level, making it illegal to practice slavery within the United States “or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
The Fourteenth Amendment declared all native-born and naturalized residents citizens of America and prohibited the states from obstructing their “privileges and immunities” and depriving them of “life, liberty or property. This officially made African Americans national citizens and insured racial equality in the eyes of the law. The Southern states would no longer be able to enact laws that violate the basic human rights of black citizens.
The Fourteenth Amendment also addressed the issue of voting rights. It declared that should Southern states deny suffrage to black men, then they would suffer a shrunken representation in Congress. Republicans stood to benefit from this amendment: if whites granted freedmen the right to vote, then the Republicans would gain valuable black votes. If whites denied blacks the right to vote, then the Democrats would suffer a reduced representation in
What are Abraham Lincoln’s views on the institution of slavery and notion of racial equality (Documents 5 and 6)?
In both excerpts of his speeches, Abraham Lincoln expresses his views on slavery and racial equality in a very impartial and lawful manner. Rather than represent partisan interests (i.e. North vs. South), he addresses the institution of slavery as an issue of the nation as a whole. He does not defend the abolition of slavery on the grounds that it unjustly denies African-Americans basic human rights, but rather on the grounds that it threatens the legitimacy of the Democracy, that it puts into question the fundamental principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, and that it enables the “enemies of free institutions” …show more content…
They are just what we would be in their situation.” Lincoln acts, not as an advocate for either Republican or Democratic interests, but rather as a judge of morality and justice. To me this appears to be a very powerful political tactic in gaining bipartisan …show more content…
The Thirteenth amendment formalized the abolition of slavery at the national government level, making it illegal to practice slavery within the United States “or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
The Fourteenth Amendment declared all native-born and naturalized residents citizens of America and prohibited the states from obstructing their “privileges and immunities” and depriving them of “life, liberty or property. This officially made African Americans national citizens and insured racial equality in the eyes of the law. The Southern states would no longer be able to enact laws that violate the basic human rights of black citizens.
The Fourteenth Amendment also addressed the issue of voting rights. It declared that should Southern states deny suffrage to black men, then they would suffer a shrunken representation in Congress. Republicans stood to benefit from this amendment: if whites granted freedmen the right to vote, then the Republicans would gain valuable black votes. If whites denied blacks the right to vote, then the Democrats would suffer a reduced representation in