What Is Martial Law?
4. President Lincoln 1861
The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865. It was one of America’s bloodiest periods in their history and was largely caused by tensions because of disagreements over slavery. Abraham Lincoln was elected as president in 1860, an event that helped to fan the flames further.
In April 1861, things were looking very serious for Washington D.C. and it was not even considered to be safe for congress to convene. As a result, President Lincoln impose martial law to try and regain some law and order in the region. This decision also led to the creation of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act of 1863.
