Lincoln was a Republican

But it needs to be remembered that it was NOT a conservative Republican, but he was part of the "Radical Republicans", which were "Radical" because they were extremely liberal and the Radical Republicans stronghold was the liberal North East.

So yeah, Lincoln was a Republican, but Republicans back then are Democrats today.

And the Democrats back then, were the conservative party with their stronghold in the South.

Note, Lincoln was a moderate, you didn't really agree with either extreme.

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WestonTexan · 18-21, M

Yep. The parties in the past were not one-to-one what they are today. In the early 20th century, the Republicans had a spin-off party, the Progressives, which believed in social reform through big government. Obviously not what the Republicans of today support. Even into the mid-20th century, the parties had liberal and conservative "wings" (conservative southern Democrats contrasted with liberal New Deal Democrats, for example). It was only in the Civil Rights era that they started to sort themselves into what they are today.