How Did Abraham Lincoln Change the World?
Abraham Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War ensured the survival of a unified United States that is stronger than two neighboring, independent nations would have been. Lincoln also changed how the public perceived the conflict, portraying it as a battle for human freedom and equality. His actions were instrumental in putting an end to slavery and putting the country on the course toward a new era of race relations.
History.com describes Lincoln as a skilled commander-in-chief, despite the fact that he had limited personal military experience. Through Lincoln’s insightful war policy, the North was able to defeat the Confederacy and the country remained unified. Had the Union lost the war, two nations would have existed in what is now the United States of America. This might have been cause for further war and bloodshed between the two nations. Furthermore, the two countries would not have enjoyed the same economic prosperity that enabled a unified United States to turn the tables of the Second World War against the Axis powers.
Lincoln also turned the Civil War into a fight for universal human rights. In the Gettysburg Address, he spoke of the United States experiencing a new birth of freedom. Lincoln helped people see that the tide of history had turned against slavery and that it was time for a new policy with regard to race. In pursuit of this cause, Lincoln assisted in the passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, which outlawed slavery, gave freed slaves citizenship and established their right to vote.
