Unit 2: The Greater the Power... (1G6)

Lincoln, the Great Emancipator?

The two documents under study are a trailer for the first one, for the movie “Lincoln” released 2012. The second one is an article from “The Emancipator”, published in 2022.

In the trailer, President Lincoln is portrayed as the savior of the nation, a heroic figure because of his involvement in the fight against slavery.

In the article, Lincoln’s portrayal is nuanced, indeed he was an advocate for peace but what led his policy was not the will to end slavery. His goal was to unify America  and slavery ended up the way to reach it. At the time, he supported pro-slavery measures such as the Fugitive Slave Law. Besides, he did not believe in racial equality.

When we compare both documents, the trailer gives a more positive image of Lincoln, an idealized hero who wanted to save the country and bring freedom. However, the article sheds light on the fact that Lincoln was not anti-slavery and he was not an abolitionist. In reality, Black leaders and activists were key in pushing him to end slavery. This view is more historically accurate.

To conclude, there are two ways to remember Lincoln: the more complex one in which he had to make compromises to maintain freedom. The second one in which the movie tries to erase the bad parts about Lincoln to glorify America.

Homework: Leran the lesson.