The Legacy Of The Civil War - 2131 Words

The Civil War left the entire nation in disarray. Over six hundred thousand soldiers were dead, reconstruction was to be started, and the nation was further divided. During this time, Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States and he was going to make the Union whole once again. His plans were cut short however, by the tragic and sudden assassination at Ford’s Theatre in 1865. Abraham Lincoln was the most influential leader in United States history; his death impacted millions of people and brought about a terrifying end to the Civil War. April 9, 1865 marks the official date of the Civil War’s end. Although some believe that the war actually ended later on in 1865, due to the fact that there was still some fighting going on.†¦show more content†¦While Lincoln was still alive, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This address is one of the most important documents in United States history, due to the fact that it freed all slaves in Confederate territories. The proclamation led to the complete emancipation of all slaves when the Civil War ended. Although the plan for Reconstruction had not yet been laid down during the time Lincoln was still alive, he certainly would’ve wanted major reparations be made towards the south in the hope of having the Union become one again. Lincoln, only a few days after the end of the Civil War, realized that not all people liked his handling of the situation. April 14 seemed like just a normal day to President Lincoln. He woke up at seven that morning as usual and went downstairs and ate his breakfast with his wife and his two children. His wife, Mary, had plans for them to go to Grover’s Theatre that night but she was hoping her husband would rather go to Ford’s Theatre and see Our American Cousin. Abe decided that they would go to Ford’s Theatre and then left breakfast to meet with the Speaker of the House. In this meeting, the two discussed ways to handle what w as happening in the south, while the meeting was going on, Lincoln received word that the Grants would no longer be joining them at the theatre. Shortly after the meeting, Lincoln had a messenger tell the people at Ford’s theatre that he would be in attendance for