Lincoln Questions

A scene from the 2012 movie, Lincoln. Here Lincoln expresses how important passing the 13th amendment will be and what they need to do in order to make it happen.  

1. Lincoln was uncompromising in his views of what it was going to take to end the war and abolish slavery. Though the people around him might not have had faith in passing the 13th amendment, Lincoln continuously put energy into it, because he knew what it was going to take to pass it. Thaddeus Stevens was uncompromising in his views towards slavery. He wanted it abolished and wanted the 13th amendment to pass. Stevens compromised through expressing his views towards slavery while taking the floor he said no more than, "equality before the law" for all.  
2. Letters two and three that we looked at in class, parallel with Lincoln's views of slavery in the movie. Letters two and tree were written during his presidency, at that time Lincoln's priorities were saving the Union and abolishing slavery. His need to end the war is seen as his very first priority and this is apparent in the movie. I think his second view of abolishing slavery is apparent at the beginning of the movie but is becoming more apparent as events such as talking with Thaddeus Stevens occur. His conversation that he has on the porch with Elizabeth Keckley might be an event that slightly encourages his views to abolish slavery as well.   
3. The 13th amendment was so essential because he believed it would end the war and abolish slavery.  
4. The movie complicated the narrative between the north and south's views by focusing on the political side of things and showing some Republicans that wanted the 13th amendment to pass and some Democrats that were being encouraged to change their vote to pro-13th amendment. 
5. White people did not want African Americans to have freedom. They were concerned that African Americans would be allowed to have a say in the government and vote. In many of the Democrat's eyes, Africans were seen as the inferior race, therefore they did not see it morally right to allow African Americans freedom. The film depicted the matter of concern for property rights as an additional reason for resistance to the end of slavery.