Abraham Lincoln
History has its own unique recount of how small civilizations became superpowers, and how the world came to be in the current century. There were nations that have been wiped out of the map, while there were nations that struggled out of the control of other nations and became a beacon of hope for nations controlled by foreign powers. American history, for example, showcases how the once colony of the English Empire strove hard to remove itself from the reach of the English monarchy and became its very own nation. Several other events transpired in the period of 1776-1877 which shaped America as people know of it today. There was the Declaration of the United States’ Independence in 1776, the Monroe Doctrine in 1805, and the American Civil War in 1861-1865. However, the tenure and assassination of the sixteenth president had caught the attention of many due to his shortened fight for his advocacies and to execute his plans for the country. The name of this president is Abraham Lincoln.
According to Blashfield (2002), Abraham Lincoln, or Abe, was born on February 12, 1809 to Thomas and Nancy Lincoln of Louisville, Kentucky. Since the family had some lands around their farm, young Abraham played in the woods. He understood how hard farm work and slowly began to help around in the farm by planting seeds and pulling weeds. The Lincolns moved to Indiana in 1816 to have another shot in making a living; however, most of their belongings sank along the boat they used to pass in Ohio River. Living in Indiana was hard for the Lincolns as they only lived in a shack made out of branches, grass and mud. Marinelli (2002) noted that the Lincolns continued to find hardship in Indiana with a disease killing Abraham’s mother, thereby forcing Sarah to take her mother’s stead. Thomas married Sarah Johnson, who realized that Abraham and Sarah had enough potential to succeed. Sarah Johnston was illiterate; however, she made sure Abraham and Sarah went to school as often as they could. Their stepmother made sure they had books to practice their reading and writing. As Sarah noted, Abraham had a thirst and passion for books, loving each time he would read a new book he could find. He loved new words and strives to know the meaning of these new words. His preferences were often works of great writers such as Socrates and Shakespeare .
Abraham continued to work in various jobs to continue living in 1828 after his sister’s death due to childbirth. Once reaching New Orleans, Abraham found himself amazed in being in the first city he had been and yet saw the realities of life in other parts of the country. He saw human beings, mostly the African Americans, being sold in slave auctions. The sight etched itself in Abraham’s memory until he became president . In March 1830, the Lincolns moved to Macon County, Illinois and the young Abraham, who was then 22 years old, moved on his own and worked in various odd jobs to make a living. He then found himself in New Salem, Illinois and worked as a shopkeeper, a post master, and a store owner. It was in New Salem wherein Lincoln began practicing his skills in public speaking and made him famous with the locals. Upon the Black Hawk War in 1832, many saw Lincoln as a good captain and managed to make his first contact with politics. According to Rumsch (2009), Abraham first ran in the Illinois state legislature in 1834, as a member of the Whig Party. Remembering his visit in Louisiana and the slave auctions he saw there, Lincoln developed his political position on the issue. He noted that slavery was mostly an impediment to economic development. It was then he decided to teach himself law through self-study, with the book Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England as his basis. Once admitted to the bar in 1837, he moved to Springfield and practiced in a local firm.
Burgan (2004) noted that the Abraham knew he had a lot of work to do to unify the country and stop slavery in various regions who are supporting the Confederacy. However, many still wanted Lincoln out of the office, especially those from the survivors of the Confederacy. In April 14, 1865, Lincoln went to see a play entitled “Our American Cousin”, a known comedy act presented in Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. Many people who knew the president already had premonitions about the assassination, but Lincoln shook it off and said it must be another president. As the play progressed, known Confederacy supporter John Wilkes Booth, sneaked into Lincoln’s box and fired a small pistol that struck Lincoln at the back of his head. With him escaping, Booth got caught in an American flag and shouted “Sic semper tyrannis! (Thus always to tyrants)” Lincoln was then brought to Petersen House, where the president laid in a coma before dying. Several other members of Lincoln’s Cabinet were also attacked by Booth’s group; however, they survived. Lincoln died on April 15, 1865 and his remains were brought to Springfield, Illinois .
The Lincoln presidency could be considered one of the greatest periods in US history and governance due to his accomplishments that far outranks other US leaders. From a simple and hardworking young lad from Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln knew what the people wanted and saw the realities of life which enabled him to relate with the people. His position on slavery and his Reconstruction of the South showcases that Lincoln’s legacy opened a new chapter to the United States and created the foundations of America’s position on liberty and equal rights.
References
Abraham Lincoln. (2012). Retrieved November 27, 2012, from The Biography Channel Website: http://www.biography.com/people/abraham-lincoln-9382540
Blashfield, J. (2002). Abraham Lincoln. Minneapolis: Capstone.
Burgan, M. (2004). The Assasination of Abraham Lincoln. Minneapolis: Capstone.
Marinelli, D. (2002). The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. New York: Rosen Publishing Group.
Rumsch, B. (2009). Abraham Lincoln. Edina: ABDO Publishing Group.
