Was Lincoln a genuine advocate for civil rights for African Americans?

Was Lincoln a genuine advocate of civil rights for African Americans? Abraham Lincoln is known by historians today for his staunch determination to protect the Union, even if that meant using force. With this in mind, it is hardly surprising that his public views on African American’s civil rights have been disputed - whether they were just a tool to protect the Union or whether he actually believed that they should be equal. It is arguable that Lincoln’s own views were that slavery should be abolished; however it may also be the case that he did not want to lose popularity by advocating civil rights for African Americans. Lincoln came to attention to the public during seven debates in 1857 and 1858, with the Democrat Senator Douglas, both trying to get elected in Illinois. Slavery was the key topic during these debates, with each candidate stating their views. In one speech in Edwardsville, Illinois Lincoln said, ‘they [the Republican Party] will use every constitutional method to prevent the evil [slavery] from becoming larger[1]’. This shows his disapproving stance on slavery and his unwillingness to let slavery expand to other areas in the United States. Furthermore in a letter in 1862 to the editor of the New York Tribune he stated ‘my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free[2]’. This letter was written in explanation of why he did

  • Word count: 2083
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
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Civil rights

INTRODUCTION Civil rights are the freedoms and rights that a person may have as a member of a community, state, or nation. Civil rights include freedom of speech, of the press, and of religion. Among others are the right to own property, and to receive fair and equal treatment from government, other persons, and private groups. In democratic countries, civil rights are protected by law and custom. The constitutions of many democracies have bills of rights that describe basic liberties and rights. Courts of law decide whether a person's civil rights have been violated. The courts also determine the limits of civil rights, so that people do not use their freedoms in order to violate the rights of others. In many nondemocratic countries, the government claims to respect and guarantee civil rights. But in most of these countries, such claims differ greatly from the actual conditions. In some Communist countries, for example, the people are denied such basic rights as freedom of speech and of the press. Yet their constitutions guarantee these rights. Some people draw sharp distinctions between civil liberties and civil rights. They regard civil liberties as guarantees to a person against government interference. They think of civil rights as guarantees of equal treatment for all people. For example, civil liberties would include freedom from government

  • Word count: 3672
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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How effective was the early civil rights movement in advancing Black Civil Rights in the period 1880-1945?

"How effective was the early civil rights movement in advancing Black Civil Rights in the period 1880-1945?" The 13th Amendment was passed by the Senate in 1884 and put into practice on December 6th 1865. The amendment abolished slavery in the United States, making President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation part on the US constitution as it was previously based on was powers and therefore, did not abolish slavery in Border States, these being; Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and West Virginia. This new ruling meant that anti-abolitionists had to accept the end of slavery. However, this did not mean that freed slaves had the same opportunities and rights as whites, in the South "black codes" were quickly implemented. These laws limited the human rights and civil liberties of African Americas thus keeping them inferior. They continued to emphasise the superior position held by whites it society, this was highlighted particularly in the state of Texas as Texans feared that without the codes blacks would not work. In reaction to the Black Codes the 14th amendment was passed in 1868. This stated that all free men shall be protected and enjoy equal treatment under the law. The idea was to protect the African American population, making them citizens thus forcing the federal Government to be responsible for them. If rights were denied by any States, the State in question

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
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Civil Rights.

Civil Rights American clergyman and Nobel laureate, one of the principal leaders of the American civil rights movement and a prominent advocate of non-violent resistance to racial oppression. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929, the eldest son of Martin Luther King, Sr., a Baptist minister, and Alberta Williams King. He entered Morehouse College at the age of 15 and was ordained a Baptist minister at the age of 18. Graduating from Crozer Theological Seminary as class president in 1951, he then did postgraduate work at Boston University. King's studies at Crozer and Boston led him to explore the works of the Indian nationalist Mohandas K. Gandhi, whose ideas became the core of his own philosophy of non-violent protest. While in Boston, he met Coretta Scott of Marion, Alabama. They were married in June 1953, and the following year King accepted an appointment as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. That same year the Supreme Court of the United States outlawed all segregated public education, and in the wake of that decision the segregated South was soon challenged in every area of public accommodation. In 1955 King, who had just received his Ph.D. degree, was asked to lead a bus boycott in Montgomery. The city's black leaders had organized the boycott to protest against enforced racial segregation in public transport after

  • Word count: 1223
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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Civil Rights In The USA.

Civil Rights In The USA . Given the information I have received from Source A I can see that mass racism and prejudice took place at Little Rock in September 1957. We can also gather that her involvement with the school would of been greeted with negative responses. This wasn't the first time Elizabeth Eckford tried to enrol into Little Rock, 20 days prior to her first day she was stopped by the national guard from entering the school. This Source has a huge significance because it's written by someone who experienced more racism more than anyone now could probably experience in a lifetime, Eckford was even taunted with threats of lynching. Not only did she go through harsh racism but it was concentrated more due to her being one of 9 black students in a predominantly white High School. The writer of this Source is also the main focal point of one of the most famous pictures in modern history, Elizabeth Eckford will best be remembered as the scared and timid black school girl surrounded by angry white parents and students on her first day to the school. The source teaches us that the integration of American schools was fiercely opposed by many white people of middle America. It was so opposed that President Kennedy had to send in the military to stop the black students from getting abused or even badly hurt at the hands of the white students.

  • Word count: 3397
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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Civil Rights

Working together is often more efficient than working individually. During the civil rights moment, many African-Americans spoke out against discrimination over skin color; however, the protests of a few people weren't enough to make racism disappear in the American society. Martin Luther King, were an activist and he led the civil rights moment. He led massive demonstrations in which millions of people participated. The more people he brought out, the more convincing they became. On the other hand, in order to be exceptionally convincing, his philosophy had to make a lot of sense to Americans at that time. His philosophy was to make blacks and whites equal in education, society, and working places. He wished that whites and blacks could work together and live their lives with each other. Equality in rights was very important because MLK believed that African-Americans should have the same rights other Americans had. To extent upon that, he also wished that African-Americans and White-Americans could work together and fight to eliminate other inequalities in the American society. In the "Martin and Malcolm DBQ" packet document 2, MLK says "With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day." This was part of his famous speech "I Have a Dream".

  • Word count: 743
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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Black civil rights

History GCSE Coursework American Civil rights Black African Americans have been treated inadequately by the opposite race (white people) for centuries from when the slave trade was in full force to the contemporary day with gang violence and racism in all fifty states of the USA. I am going investigate the reasons why black Americans argued for their civil rights and what successes were brought about by this fighting in the 1950s and 1960s. Some evidence of racism to Black people in the USA was written in a black journalist's book quoted from 'American Dreams lost and found'. It shows no respect, and gives a sense of inferiority, illustrating white attitudes to blacks in the early to mid 20th century. It draws a powerful image of blacks being fit for menial jobs and be deficient in the ability to do professional jobs. One problem leading to Blacks fighting for their Civil Rights was the unjust Jim Crow rules in the Southern states. The white people who lived in the South wanted to maintain a two tier society. In 1880 they introduced legal segregation of races. This was a concept of Blacks being separate from Whites but the two societies being equal. There would be separate facilities for blacks and whites from hotels to schools. Inter race marriage was made illegal by these laws. This was all to keep a defined two tier society. An additional reason why Blacks

  • Word count: 2859
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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Black Civil Rights.

Black Civil Rights More than a hundred years ago the Europeans brought slaves to North America. The blacks found themselves in the midst of prejudice whites with no way out. When the blacks came over Jim Crow laws were incorporated. With these laws it was near impossible for blacks to rise in the white world. Booker T. Washington was the first black to rise to any prominence in this time. In the early 1900's blacks however began to fight back. In 1909 black advancement organizations began to increase all over North America. Unfortunately with the rise of these groups also came the rise of racist white groups like the Ku Klux Klan and others brutally killing blacks. All blacks coming into N. America were being brought into a very hostile environment. The first sign of blacks becoming more equal was the blacks to fight in the World War. For the first time they were looked upon as war veterans instead of black slaves. Although progress was beginning a black man named Garvey believed that the whites would never change, because of this he started an association called "Back to Africa". At the coming of the Second World War, blacks participating in the war were being more important positions than ever before. Franklin Roosevelt was the first president to make a strong contribution to the Civil Rights movement. He had signed a declaration that stated no one could be discriminated in

  • Word count: 623
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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Civil Rights Movement

"The Civil Rights Movement Achieved a Great Deal. Do Sources A-F Prove this Correct?" The Civil Rights Movement was a movement aimed at abolishing racial discrimination in the United States of America in the 1950s and 1960s. Many things were achieved by the movement, and I will be looking at both its successes and its failures. Historically, the black population has always been subject to racial injustice; the most notable example being the introduction of the slave trade. For over two centuries, Africans were treated like animals and lived their lifes in unjust conditions. It had been less than 100 years since slaves living in the Southern States of America had been freed, and this meant there were still very obvious social impacts. The moderate white southern American would see the black man as nothing more than an inconvinience, both socially and economically. They felt threatened by the fact that the people they had grown up being told was inferior to them had now begun to take their jobs, earn money and go to the same school as them. So it comes as little surprise that when the segregation of schools became unconstitutional in 1954 many white southerners were outraged. Source A shows the amount of black children attending school with white children from 1956 - 1962. It does show an increase, however I think it would be wrong to call this a success. This is because

  • Word count: 1138
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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The Civil Rights Movement

'The Civil Rights Movement Achieved a Great Deal in the 1950s and 1960s' The person making the statement believes that thanks to the Civil Rights Movement the quality of life for black people has increased. This interpretation is supported by a table of figures in Source A. The table was published in a history textbook. This information regards education, an area in which the Civil Rights Movement had been strongly been campaigning for the desegregation of schools. This information is from a textbook so therefore we are led to believe that these figures will be accurate and unbiased. . Although these numbers are estimates they are still a reliable source of information. The table shows the dramatic increase in the numbers of black students in the same schools as white students. We can see that in every state apart from three there have been increases in the percentages of black students in schools with white students. This would indicate that the desegregation of schools had been a success. As the Civil Rights Movement and campaigned strongly for this, then they had obviously gone some way to achieving their goals. The photograph is Source B was taken at the scene, where a black student is on her way to enrol at an all white high school in Little Rock. The photograph shows that desegregation had been a success, as blacks were getting into previously all white

  • Word count: 1093
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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