Question

Which controversial action did President Lincoln take early in the Civil War that limited the rights of certain U.S. citizens?

Answer 1

Suspended habeaus corpus

Habeaus corpus is the right protecting citizens from being arrested without reason or being held for unlimited amount of time.

Lincoln suspended habeaus corpus as a war measure. Lincoln felt he needed the right to arrest people who did not allow Union troops to do their job. This move by Lincoln is argued to be unconstitutional but exists in a long line of moves by a president as a wartime power to reduce the rights of citizens.

Answer 2

Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus. Lincoln was concerned about keeping Maryland, a slave state located near the nation;s capital, n the union, so he suspended the writ of habeas corpus, an action that brought widespread criticism.