ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Abraham Lincoln born February 12, 1809, would go on to become one of the greatest presidents of the United States of America, if not the greatest. The 16th president of the United States, was most famous for the Emancipation Proclamation which would free the slaves in the confederacy in 1863. Although this presentation will focus on a particular struggle Lincoln faced in process towards the abolishment of slavery. The most famous of these would be the Lincoln-Douglas debates, a number of public debates, for a seat in the Senate of Illinois. Lincoln had won the popular vote, but Douglas had been elected 54-46 by the legislature. Lincoln would beat Douglas in the presidential election two years later, but the series of debates by Lincoln and Douglas would shine light on the national problem of slavery. Lincoln would make strong statements about the differences between himself and Douglas, as he claimed Douglas failed to recognize the ethics in slavery. Meanwhile Lincoln thought of slavery, "'as a moral, social, and political evil.'" In turn Douglas believed Lincoln to be a, "dangerous radical who favored racial equality." The two men shaped the debate on slavery. On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assasinated by John Wilkes Booth, who believed he was helping the south.