Significance of Abraham Lincoln`s Reelection. Temperance Movement of the 19th Century - Essay Example

Part of the Assignment Significance of Abraham Lincoln’s Reelection For several years, the western expansion had led America into serous and deadly differences between slavery and none slavery states. During the same period, the northern part of the United States was under laissez faire capitalism, what was considered as a doctrine of equality as per the laws of the United States. The north was as well considered to being a progressive reign of supremacy. On the contrary, the south was a reflection of an older feudal system that was believed to have been inherited from the colonials.

The northern people were ever dreaming for a more prosperous future, while the southerners were in need of quieter as they were living in a nobler past (Rodriguez 385). The northerners dominated the agricultural economy. Since Lincoln was coming from the north, his first election into the office led to civil war. The southerners banked on military for war since most of the military officers were from the south. However, money, time, and numerical superiority were with the northerners. The enmity that was between the northerners and the southerners almost caused Lincoln his re-election, but he was miraculously re-elected in the 1864, and was assassinated the year that followed (Rodriguez 393).

Lincoln successfully led United States through its magnificent constitution, moral and military crisis, and the 1861 American Civil War. Lincoln managed to preserve the union as he ended the slavery as well as promoting economy of United States through financial modernization. Lincoln oppressed the increase in slavery in the United States through his campaigns and speeches even before his reelection. Despite the war that broke due to his election into presidential office, Lincoln concentrated both the political and war efforts in reuniting the Americans.

He vigorously exercised unprecedented powers of war in quenching the civil war that had stricken the United States. He managed to contain the war through arrest and detention of thousands of secessionist suspects without trial. Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation, and facilitated the passage of the thirteenth amendment of the constitution of Americas that aims at abolishing slavery (Rodriguez 394). In promoting unity, Lincoln brought various leaders to his faction and incorporated them into his leadership.

In addition, Lincoln introduced some policies that blasted all side of American divide and ruled without favors (Rodriguez 407). His Gettysburg Address of the year 1863 became the most famous speech among the Americans and in the history of the United States. The speech contained iconic statements that were dedicated to America and contained principles of equal rights, nationalism, democracy, and liberty (Rodriguez 395). At the end of the America Civil War that is in 1965, Lincoln had a moderate Reconstruction view that aimed at speedy reunion between the southerners and the northerners.

Lincoln introduce a policy of generous reconciliation in the lingering and bitter divisiveness that formed the 1860s face of America; thus, promoting social interaction between the northerners and the southerners. During his period in office, Lincoln managed to pass numerous policies that aimed at boosting the economy of United States. The policies and acts aimed at raising the revenue for the federal government, and they included traffic and the New Federal income tax acts. Lincoln signed the United States’ first income tax act in 1961.

He also presided over numerous expansion of the federal government that influenced several areas of the economy (Rodriguez 412). Part 2 of the Assignment Temperance Movement of the 19th Century The Temperance movement was a social movement that introduced to regulate or reduce the use of alcoholic beverages. The movement criticized the excessive use of alcohol and promoted compete abstinence or teetotalism. The moment also pressured the government to enact legislation that would unreservedly eradicate or prohibit the alcohol use or what they termed anti-alcohol legislation.

Notably, the temperance movement began in Australia in the mid-1830s where it the promoted moderate consumption of alcohol rather than a complete abstinence (Holmquist 170). The movement had its effects in the United States in late nineteenth century as a more and successful abstinence oriented movement. However, it did not succeed in prohibiting alcohol use despite its long campaigns towards the same. However, it succeeded in prohibiting the sales of alcoholic drinks after six o’clock in the afternoon.

The movement led to laws that we often referred to notorious six o’clock swill. The laws led to after work rush to drinking where people could rush to drinking places and consume alcohol rapidly and heavily in anticipation of the six o’clock closure of drinking places (Holmquist 48). With the approach of civil war, the economy of United States changed and the increased urbanization was accomplished with poverty, relaxed ordinances and the problem of alcohol escalated dramatically. Dr. Benjamin Rush who widely discussed his belief that alcohol consumption was injurious to psychological and physical health might have influenced the movement, especially among roughly two hundred farmers in a Connecticut community (Holmquist 121).

This led to the formation of temperance association in the year 1789. The movement aimed at banning the production of whisky. Some similar associations were later formed in Virginia and New York in 1800 and 1808 respectively. Numerous temperance organizations were formed afterwards including organizations that engulfed the entire state. The religious denominations including Protestants and the Catholic Church joined the movement in calling for restriction in consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages.

All these groups believed that consumption of alcohol led to prostitution, abuse of spousal, corruption, and other criminal activities. Business owners became fearful of women since the law was to allow women to vote; thus, they felt that women would vote for temperance (Holmquist 236). Works Cited Holmquist D. J. They Chose Minnesota: A Survey Of The States Ethnic Groups. United States, YN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2003. Rodriguez P. J. Slavery in the Modern World: A History of Political, Social, and Economic.

NY:Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2011.