Question/Problem 5: What did Abraham Lincoln do to preserve the Union?

Objectives

Description of lesson/activity

Resources

1. explain what Abraham Lincoln did to preserve the Union.

2. interpret primary resources to determine Lincoln's motivations.

3. evaluate several actions taken by Lincoln to preserve the Union.

1. Question/Problem 4 dealt with the Civil War as a whole; Question/Problem 5 concentrates on the leadership of President Abraham Lincoln during the war. The purpose of the lesson is to examine actions Lincoln took to preserve the Union and the reasons he gave to justify his actions.

2. The teacher should divide the class up into small groups and pass out the seven accompanying readings on the actions of Lincoln. Students should follow each of the readings silently while the teacher reads each aloud. Students should use the methods for reading documents (see Unit III for detailed instructions) before discussing the questions posed by the teacher. Below is a short introduction to each reading, followed by questions which may be written on the board, projected on a screen handed out to each group. The teacher may choose to collect answers from the groups or have students write answers in their notebooks. These answers will be useful in completing the culminating activity for this lesson.

A. First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1861) By the time Lincoln delivered his first inaugural address seven southern states had already seceded. He seemed to direct his speech toward these southern secessionists.

1. What does Lincoln say about secession in the first paragraph of the excerpt?

2. According to Lincoln, who will be responsible for starting the war?

3. According to Lincoln, what is his role as President in the conflict?

4. What is Lincoln asking for in the last paragraph of the reading?

B. Suspension of Habeas Corpus (April 27, 1861) Many of Lincoln's actions were unpopular and some were even unconstitutional. The first reading is a letter sent to General Winfield Scott giving the general and his officers the power to suspend the writ of habeas corpus. The second reading is an historical account of the reaction to Lincoln's action.

1. Define habeas corpus.

2. Under what two conditions has Lincoln authorized the suspension of habeas corpus?

3. What does Lincoln mean by the reference to "the enemy in the rear?"

4. How does he defend his suspension of habeas corpus?

5. For what reasons does Chief Justice Taney criticize Lincoln's actions?

6. What is Lincoln's reply to Taney?

C. Letter to Horace Greeley (August 22, 1862) Lincoln's call to duty to preserve the Union conflicted with his personal conscience. One of the clearest examples of the conflict between the duty of a good official and the conscience of a good person is Lincoln's response to an editorial written by Horace Greeley. Greeley, editor of the New-York Tribune, expressed disappointment with "the policy you seem to be pursuing with regard to the slaves of Rebels." Lincoln's reply is one of the finest statement of the "morality of civic duty" to be found. Lincoln had to compromise his own "personal wish" on freeing the slaves, so that his duty would remain uncompromised. The letter allows students a glimpse of Lincoln the man rather than just Lincoln the President.
1. What is Lincoln saying in the first paragraph?

2. Bracket the sentences which show he has left no doubt as to what his goal is?

3. Underline what he says will not save the Union.

4. What is Lincoln's "personal wish?"

5. Explain why Lincoln would not follow his conscience on this matter.

6. Compare differences in the form of Lincoln's letter to the form used today.

D. Emancipation Proclamation (January 1863) Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation exactly one month after his response to Greeley. Excerpts of the Proclamation are provided. However, the teacher may choose to use the complete document. The teacher may also want to discuss the reaction to the Proclamation by the Confederacy. A scene in the movie Glory deals with that reaction and the option given to African American Union soldiers and their officers to leave the army.

1. When does this go into effect?

2. Underline the places where the slaves are free.

3. Who is ordered to protect their freedom?

4. Once the slaves are under Union control, what will they do?

5. Why weren't the slaves freed in the border states? (Use your textbook for this answer.)

6. Is this Proclamation consistent with what Lincoln said in his response to Greeley?

E. The Union Draft (March 1863) In 1863, Lincoln called for a draft when the Union army needed additional troops on all fronts.
1. What arguments were presented in favor of conscription?

2. What arguments were presented against conscription?

3. What tyrannies did the Peace Democrats claim that Lincoln was committing?

F. Gettysburg Address (November 1863) Thousands listened to this little speech given by Lincoln four months after the Battle of Gettysburg. Today it is known as The Gettysburg Address.

1. According to Lincoln, what was the purpose of his speech?

2. How does Lincoln describe the people who died at Gettysburg?

3. What did Lincoln believe was the task that remained?

G. Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1865) Although less well known, this speech may be the only one worthy to stand along side of the great Gettysburg Address. It was delivered at Lincoln's second inaugural, shortly before the end of the war and his assassination.

1. Who did Lincoln blame for starting the war?

2. How does Lincoln say he would treat the South after the war?

3. What other jobs does Lincoln believe need to be done after the war is over?

3. As a concluding activity, students should indicate their understanding of Lincoln's actions through the creation of political cartoons. Students should choose one of the seven actions studied in class. Their assignment should be to create two political cartoons about that action: one, which could be published in a Northern newspaper, should illustrate the Northern view of Lincoln's action; the other, which might be published in a Southern newspaper, should illustrate the Southern view of Lincoln's action. Students should receive a copy of the accompanying "Lincoln Political Cartoon Assessment Criteria" to help them create their cartoons.

4. The teacher should complete the study of Lincoln with a review of his assassination at the close of the Civil War. Numerous materials are available for this lesson, but students should understand that the importance of Lincoln's presidency rests on his work to preserve the Union and not on his tragic death.

Resource 1: First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1861)

Resource 2: Suspension of Habeas Corpus (April 27, 1862)

Resource 3: Letter to Horace Greely (August 22, 1863)

Resource 4: Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863)

Resource 5: The Union Draft (March 1863)

Resource 6: Gettysburg Address (November 1863)

Resource 7: Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1865)

Resource 8: Lincoln Political Cartoon: Assessment Criteria