The United States in the mid-19th century was as divided as ever. Conflict between anti- slavery North and pro-slavery South arose due to new states forming and whether slavery would be implemented into these new states. There was also division inside these two groups, more specifically, the Anti Slavery North. The Abolitionists were divided into two groups, the Radical Abolitionists, headlined by Frederick Douglas and William Lloyd Garrison, and the Anti-Slavery Republicans, headlined by Abraham Lincoln. The book, The Radical and the Republican, by James Oakes focuses on the impact that Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln had on each other through their different views which led to the abolition of slavery. Frederick Douglas was born a
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In the beginning, Lincoln’s top priority was to preserve the Union while moderately attempting to fight slavery, while Douglass’ only concern was slavery and its abolition, “Frederick Douglas always maintained that because the Civil War was caused by it, it could only conclude in the abolition of slavery” . However, as the war started, the North noticed thousands of Slaves running away to the North, in response to this, “Lincoln’s secretary of War signed off on a policy declaring slaves contraband of war.” The North strategically did this to use the slaves to their advantage. The North then realized that slaves were the key to winning the war, the Fugitive Slave Act was nullified, and there were no democrats in congress to veto this decision because they were part of a different country, the Confederacy. Also, “In the fall Lincoln began pressuring border states to enact emancipation statues.” The combination of these events show how Lincoln’s priority shifted from preserving the Union to preserving the Union while abolishing slavery. These events led to the Emancipation Proclamation which abolished slavery in the Confederacy. Douglass was thrilled to hear and Lincoln gained Douglass’ full support. The events during the Civil War shows a combination of Radical Abolitionism and Conservative Republicanism as the Emancipation Proclamation led to the instant abolition of slavery while the Republicans enforced laws that led to the Emancipation
In the beginning, Lincoln’s top priority was to preserve the Union while moderately attempting to fight slavery, while Douglass’ only concern was slavery and its abolition, “Frederick Douglas always maintained that because the Civil War was caused by it, it could only conclude in the abolition of slavery” . However, as the war started, the North noticed thousands of Slaves running away to the North, in response to this, “Lincoln’s secretary of War signed off on a policy declaring slaves contraband of war.” The North strategically did this to use the slaves to their advantage. The North then realized that slaves were the key to winning the war, the Fugitive Slave Act was nullified, and there were no democrats in congress to veto this decision because they were part of a different country, the Confederacy. Also, “In the fall Lincoln began pressuring border states to enact emancipation statues.” The combination of these events show how Lincoln’s priority shifted from preserving the Union to preserving the Union while abolishing slavery. These events led to the Emancipation Proclamation which abolished slavery in the Confederacy. Douglass was thrilled to hear and Lincoln gained Douglass’ full support. The events during the Civil War shows a combination of Radical Abolitionism and Conservative Republicanism as the Emancipation Proclamation led to the instant abolition of slavery while the Republicans enforced laws that led to the Emancipation