The Civil War: what history's greatest minds said

Abraham Lincoln

• What did Lincoln mean in the Gettysburg Address?

  Lincoln intended the Gettysburg Address to reframe the Civil War as a test of whether democratic self-government could survive, rooted in the Declaration's promise of equality, with the living tasked to complete the fallen soldiers' sacrifice.

• What did Lincoln say about suspending habeas corpus?

  Lincoln believed the Constitution permitted suspending habeas corpus during rebellion when public safety required it, and that the president held this power as commander-in-chief, accountable to the people.

• What did Lincoln say about the Emancipation Proclamation?

  Lincoln viewed the Emancipation Proclamation as a military necessity born from desperation, though he personally believed slavery was fundamentally wrong and remained constrained by his constitutional oath.

• What did Lincoln say about preserving the Union versus ending slavery?

  Lincoln prioritized preserving the Union as his official duty, though he personally opposed slavery. He ultimately concluded that saving the nation required destroying slavery.