Freedom from Above or Below?

This week in class, we researched a lot about Abraham Lincoln's actions and responses towards slavery and how it changed throughout the civil war.  Through analyzing Lincoln's many speeches and letters, we answered the essential questions: Who gave the freedom to enslaved Americans?  Did freedom come from above or below?  To what extent were Abraham Lincoln's actions influenced by the actions of enslaved Americans?  Basically we had to conclude whether the significant decisions to enforce or abolish slavery come from the people on the top of the social pyramid or people from the bottom if the social pyramid.  We concluded that during the civil war, freedom came from the people inhabiting the top of the social class pyramid.  The slaves definitely influenced Lincoln's actions, especially towards the end of his presidency, but it was Lincoln whose actions led to the freedom of the slaves.  

Through analyzing Lincoln’s letters, we were able to record Lincoln’s change of perspective and we were able to identify when freedom came from above and when freedom came from below.  In Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, Lincoln had written how his “paramount object in this struggle is to save the union and is not to either save or to destroy slaver.”  This letter was written in 1862, a year after the civil war and a year into Lincoln’s presidency.  Lincoln’s main goal then was to protect the union and he claimed he was indifferent to slavery. 

In his Emancipation Proclamation on January 1^st, 1863, Lincoln stated how everyone held as slaves within any state would be forever free and that “the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons.”  Lincoln finally made this war about Slavery and the world was watching to see whether pro-slavery or anti-slavery would win.  France and Britain no longer considered allying themselves with the confederacy because these nations had already outlawed slavery.  No slaves were technically free in the south though and the president of the southern confederacy realized that they would have to step it up because they would not get any foreign help. 

In the Gettysburg Address in November of 1863, Lincoln states how his goal was to build a nation on a democratic government that can survive.  He states how “this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish.”  He claims how “the brave me, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above out poor power to add or detract.”  He declares how the men who fought for the abolishment of slavery should be honored and never forgotten because they fought for a strong and worthy cause. 

Finally in Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address in 1865, he finally states how the goal of the Civil War was and had always been to free the slaves, that the slaves “constituted a peculiar and powerful interest.  All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war.”  He claimed how the war was being fought because they didn’t free the slaves in the beginning when they should have and now it was being fought to free them.  He realizes their mistake and says how they didn’t do anything sooner.  He felt as if god was punishing them for not taking action upon slavery sooner. 

Throughout the course of the civil war, freedom came from both above and below the social

pyramid.  My group felt that the Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, and the 2^nd Inaugural Speech provided the fight for freedom from above and the letter to Horace Greeley, certain parts of the Gettysburg Address and the Engraving came from below the social pyramid.  Our group finally concluded that the people in the bottom of the social pyramid definitely did contribute to their freedom, but we felt that they motivated the government and especially President Lincoln who took action.  During the civil war, we believed that the slave’s actions influenced President Lincoln’s statements, but it was the President’s actions that led to the official abolishment of slavery. 

Freedom from above or below is a very interesting point that still is a very good question to think about.  I feel like in modern society, freedom comes from below.  The actions that normal everyday people perform affect many things including laws and rules.  For instance, the authority of cops and officers is being questioned by civilians due to recent accidents.  People claim how cops are being too aggressive.  The people form riots and rebellions and make themselves heard.  It is not the government who make actions for us; we fight for our opinions and rights and make ourselves heard.  Many of the changes in modern society happen because we step up to the plate and make our voices heard.  

Sidney A. Alpert "Freedom to the Slaves/ (11.13 x 8.11) -S