Abraham Lincoln was one of the most famous presidents of the United States. Lincoln was known for being the president who ended slavery. He was also the president who released the famous speech known as the Gettysburg Address. In addition to ending slavery, it also ultimately reunited the Northern and Southern states when the Southern states seceded from the Union. In fact, the Emancipation Proclamation was created due to the South seceding from the Union, in the hope that this would somehow solve the problem. The Emancipation Proclamation, however, was an act that displayed liberalism, or equality, during his presidency. Lincoln showed leadership and left an untouchable legacy through liberalism with the Emancipation Proclamation. His leadership and legacy were demonstrated through the creation of the Emancipation Proclamation, which brought the North and South together, and through the famous Gettysburg Address. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay For example, Lincoln showed leadership and liberalism through the Emancipation Proclamation. Since he himself wrote the Proclamation, this showed liberalism. That being said, President Lincoln was not originally against slavery. This is proven because originally, “Although Lincoln detested slavery, he did not attempt to abolish it after taking office or after the Civil War began in April 1861” (Emancipation Proclamation). Although he had not originally planned to abolish slavery, Lincoln attempted to free the slaves by declaring: “That on the first day of January, A.D., 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of any State, the persons who rebel against the United States, they will then, henceforth, be free forever” (Emancipation Proclamation). The reason why Lincoln decided to produce this document was the secession of the South. The Emancipation Proclamation in turn made war on slavery and not on state rights. Many seemed to think that the war was about slavery at first, which is proven false by Lincoln's thoughts on the war which state, "Although Lincoln had always detested the institution of slavery, during the first year of the war, he repeatedly emphasized it the purpose of the conflict was the maintenance of the Union rather than the emancipation of the slaves” (Trefousse). The Emancipation Proclamation was ultimately what ended slavery; Thirteenth Amendment (1865), the legal status of freedmen remained unclear” (Sandoval-Strausz). Second, Lincoln's leadership and his untouchable legacy were also present during his reunification of the Northern and Southern states. Although peace had not yet been fully achieved before Lincoln's death, he played an important role in leading the states to reconstruction. After all, Lincoln had created the Emancipation Proclamation because of the secession of the North and South. Lincoln was easily credited with bringing the North and South together as he had been there during the war and during the beginning of Reconstruction. Reconstruction began the year he was assassinated, 1865, and ended in 1877. Despite this, his contribution stated: "In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln had proposed clemency toward the South, planning extensive pardons and a "10 percent plan " according to which arebel group The state would be recognized as having regained all rights in the Union when 10% of the voters of 1860 took the oath of allegiance and agreed to end slavery” (Hoar). Lincoln ultimately vetoed the plan as Radical Republicans opposed the plan. Although the plan had failed, Lincoln still received credit for bringing the Northern and Southern states together despite having failed in his reconstruction plan. Although he had little say in Reconstruction, Lincoln's leadership and legacy were carried forward in the reunification of the North and South. Finally, Lincoln's leadership and legacy were brought about by the famous Gettysburg Address. The 272-word speech was one of the best-known speeches in American history. Everyone knows the first five words: “Four and seven years ago…”. Even if they don't know what they come from, a person tends to know those words. The speech was delivered less than six months after the close of the Gettysburg Campaign, which was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War in the United States. The battle was so severe that "Losses on both sides were immense with more than 7,000 dead and 44,000 wounded or missing" (Phelps). The speech contained things like: “Citing the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln spoke of the great achievement of the Founding Fathers in creating a nation on the principle that all men are created equal. Lincoln framed the Civil War as a test of this noble ideal, but made no direct reference to slavery, focusing instead on the preservation of self-government” (Stock). One of the most powerful lines of the speech was: “It behooves us rather to be here dedicated to the great task that remains before us: that from these honored dead we draw a greater devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” . ; that we here earnestly resolve that these dead will not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, will have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not pass away from the earth” (Lincoln). This is an important phrase because it talks about how people who died would not die for no reason. Because of their deaths, people have a new freedom and they aren't going away anytime soon. The man who spoke before him at the ceremony, Edward Everett, spoke for more than two hours while Lincoln said only a mere 272 words. Despite the fact that Everett's speech was much more complex and exemplary in itself, nowadays people have forgotten about it as time has passed. At the time, people were less impressed by Lincoln's speech than by Everett's. Even Lincoln didn't think it was a good speech. People's reactions seemed to be: “Many of the fifteen thousand spectators who heard it that day were surprised that it was so short. Lincoln himself believed it had been a failure. But once the Gettysburg Address was reprinted in newspapers around the country and people had time to think about it, they began to express appreciation for his remarks” (Hillstrom). School-age children now memorize the Gettysburg Address, and some have probably never heard of the Everett Address. Because of the notoriety of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, his leadership and legacy are unparalleled. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Lincoln's unparalleled legacy and leadership was showcased through the liberalism of the Emancipation Proclamation, his work in bringing the North and South together when the South seceded, and for the famous speech known as the Gettysburg Address. His leadership and legacy in particular are.