The Man of the 19th Century. Many historians argue that American culture is based on the Civil War and its aftermath. It is easy to agree with this statement, because one cannot even imagine living in a slave society that would certainly develop if the South had won. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth American president, was the most influential man of the war. He was responsible for mobilizing Northern power, getting people, both Republicans and Democrats, to sympathize with the Union cause and, therefore, winning the war. This is what made Lincoln the most influential man of the 19th century. Lincoln was born into an “undistinguished family.” His parents died when Lincoln was just a child and he had to struggle immensely to get an education. Lincoln served as a captain in the Black Hawk War, after which he pursued a career in law. Lincoln spent eight years in the Illinois legislature. In 1858, Lincoln ran against Douglas in a series of debates for senator. Although Lincoln lost, these debates earned him the 1860 nomination. His greatest accomplishments were to come much later. When Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861, he made it clear that Southern secession was unconstitutional. He was willing to compromise with the South on the issue of slavery, the driving force behind Southern secession. Unfortunately, South was not interested in compromise. After Fort Sumter was forced to surrender by Confederate troops, Lincoln declared war. Since he led a centralized government rather than the South believing in states' rights over the central government, Lincoln was able to effectively mobilize the people and resources of the Union. This of course played a vital role in the eventual victory and is one of Lincoln's greatest accomplishments. The Union victory affects today's society just as much, if not more, than the Revolutionary War. As mentioned, the Civil War is the underlying event in American history and the subsequent formation of its culture. It is impossible to even imagine a society that would develop following the Confederate victory. In addition to being a slave-owning and perhaps slave-trading nation for many years, America would also lack a centralized government and much of its international power. No one knows how many years it will take the Confederacy to abolish slavery. Lincoln, meanwhile, abolished slavery in 1863, two years after the start of the war..