Abraham Lincoln and the Music of the Civil War

Music pervades civilization in almost every institution and serves as a provider of important ideas. It can carry significant political meanings, and often does. The 19th century was no different. An especially turbulent period in American history, the years of Lincoln’s presidency, were marked by a staggering amount of political unrest. In this tumultuous time, music played a large role in spreading and reinforcing a wide breadth of beliefs. This paper will look at primary sources of music from the Civil War era to understand how the lyrics of these songs reflected something Lincoln cared very much about: public opinion of his administration. By analyzing the lyrics, it can be seen how the public interpreted Lincoln’s goals and policies, and their support for him or opposition to him.