Revolutionary Era
Chapter 5: Independence 1775 ― 1784
Dissolving the Bands 1775-1776
The Great Revolution 1776-1782
Novus Ordo Seclorum 1782-1784
Join or Die 1763 ― 1775
More Perfect Union 1784 ― 1789
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Documents
Master Index
1862
An open letter urging Abraham Lincoln to enforce existing anti-slavery laws and adopt emancipation as a central war aim, arguing that hesitation toward slavery was undermining the Union cause. It reflects growing Northern pressure to transform the Civil War into a moral and military struggle against slavery, helping set the stage for Lincoln’s shift toward the Emancipation Proclamation.
Horace Greeley
The Prayer of Twenty Millions
1862
In response to Horace Greeley’s public editorial “The Prayer of Twenty Millions,” Abraham Lincoln’s letter clarified that his paramount constitutional duty as president was the preservation of the Union, not the immediate abolition or preservation of slavery as an end in itself. Lincoln emphasized that any action he took regarding slavery — including emancipation — would be justified only insofar as it helped suppress the rebellion and restore national authority, while still affirming his personal wish “that all men, everywhere, could be free.”
Abraham Lincoln
Response Letter to Greeley
Biographies
Walter Mondale (1928-2021) was a Minnesota lawyer and politician who served as attorney general, U.S. senator, and vice president under Jimmy Carter. As vice president, he worked unusually closely with Carter and helped establish the modern vice president as an active presidential adviser. After leaving office, Mondale became the Democratic presidential nominee in 1984 and later served as ambassador to Japan.
Walter
Mondale
Richard B. Cheney (1941-2025) was a Wyoming congressman, White House chief of staff, and secretary of defense before becoming vice president under George W. Bush. He served two terms from 2001 to 2009 and played a major role in the administration's national-security and foreign-policy decisions. His career encompasses more than four decades of federal public service and executive-branch leadership.
Dick
Cheney
Joe Biden (1942-) is an American politician who served as the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025, following 36 years as a U.S. senator from Delaware and eight years as vice president under Barack Obama. His presidency focused on rebuilding the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, investing in infrastructure and domestic manufacturing, expanding clean-energy programs, strengthening U.S. alliances, while facing controversies over inflation, immigration, Afghanistan, and his age.
Joe
Biden
Donald Trump (1946-) is an American businessman and television personality who became the 45th and later the 47th president of the United States. His political career transformed the Republican Party and was defined by an “America First” agenda emphasizing immigration restriction, trade protection, deregulation, and a more assertive approach to executive power.
Donald
Trump
George W. Bush (1946-) was the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001 to 2009 during a period defined by the War on Terror. Before becoming president, he worked in the oil industry, and served two terms as governor of Texas. After leaving office, Bush focused on charitable work, veterans' initiatives, global health.
George
W. Bush
Bill Clinton (1946-) was the 42nd president of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001 during a period marked by economic growth, declining unemployment, and the end of the Cold War era. A centrist Democrat, he promoted policies including welfare reform, consumer rights, deficit reduction, expanded trade, and economic development while also pursuing an active foreign policy. His presidency was ultimately defined both by its economic successes and by scandal.
Bill
Clinton