Lincoln Essay, Research Paper

NAME- ????? ABRAHAM LINCOLN Do you know that guy who s on the famous penny and five dollar bill ? Well that s just one of the accomplishments Abraham Lincoln decided to do. Not to many people remember him for what he did, but only because of the money he is printed on. Do you ever wonder how he became President of the United States ? Or even what he did in real life that affected our lives today? Well this report will explain how, when, where, and why he did everything. On February 12, 1809 the tallest president was born. As the son of Tom and Nancy Lincoln he was refereed to as a youngster because he love to hunt and do things like the grown ups. He lived in Nolic Creek and Knob Creek farms in Kentucky until age 7. Abraham went to a subscription and blab schools totaling one year so him and his family moved to Little Pigeon Farm in Indiana where he did farm work and rail splitting. In 1816 just before the move his mother died of milk sickness. Abe was sad and depressed. He lived in a 20 by 18 log cabin with 8 other people. By 1820 he went to school at the Andrew Crawford long cabin where he became excellent in mathand essay writing. Many books shaped his life such as Lessons in Elocution ; Noble Lives of Ancient Greeks and Romans; The Bible to help him learn moral values, and other books on Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson s Declaration of Independence; and Benjamin Franklin s Autobiography to Independence; to learn his virtues that will help during life. By age 118 he was 6 tall and physically strong. He would always help the neighbors whenever they asked because he didn t mind. In 1828 when he was 19, he moved to New Orleans with his father to sell some supplies for money. By 1830 they moved back because of milk sickness. At age 22 he settled in New Salem, Illinois which were the most formative 6 years of his adult life. While in New Salem he became a clerk for Denton Offtutt s drugstore. New Salem had 3 groups of people, the Ruffians, Intellectuals, and those in between. The Ruffians leaders of the town did what they wanted to do. The Intellectuals were the smartest people of the town, such as Mentor Graham a school master who heard that Abraham wanted to learn grammar. Mentor said He was the brightest student I ve ever taught! Soon in 1831 the Blackhawk Indians wanted to take back Illinois. Abraham Lincoln soon got involved by becoming a young officer in a militia for 90 days. The treaty of 1831 would not let chief Blackhawk take over Illinois. The capture of the chief quickly put an end to the war. In March of 1832 Aberham ran for the Illinois House of Representatives. He finally won the election in 1834 and became a Whig. From then on he won a long line of elections. He won reelection in 1836, 1838, and 1840. By 1836 he became a Whig leading the house and was part of the long 9 legislatures from Sangoman County. Abraham was called Honest Abe plenty of times during his life. He got this name from being honest to everybody. One such episode was when Abe ran 6 miles to correct error of a few pennies with a store clerk. When 1833 rolled in, Abraham bought a store with William Berry. But, Berry soon died leaving a $1100 debt behind. Abe took over the store and paid off the enormous debt. He moved to Spring Field, Illinois and in1837, along with John Stuart, he borrowed books and studied for 3 years. It was all paid off the same year because he got his license. Lincoln practiced law for 2 + decades with John Stuart until 1841 ,Stephen Logan until 1844 and William Berry Herndon until 1861. He lodged for 4 years with Joshua Speed. Lincoln met Stephen A. Douglas, his rival for 20 years. In 1839 Joshua bought Abe to a party at the Edward s Mansion and cupid struck. Of course Mr. Douglas was there also. Abe and Douglas fell in love with Mary Todd. Mary chose Lincoln, and they got married in 1842. The Lincoln s had four kids named: Robert, who was the Harvard graduate and successful lawyer. Eddie was born in 1846and died at age four in Springfield, Willie was born in 1850 and died at age 11 in the White House, and Thomas was born in 1853 and died as well in Chicago at age 18. Things got worse though. Abraham s father died and his wife got ill, which caused him to miss the funeral.

People often want to know how he did it. Abe had good self – reliance, honesty, temperance, clear concise language, jokes and story telling, and respect for the law. The Mexican War was now on with the Americans and Lincoln opposed! The president, James K. Polk, was criticized by Lincoln because he thought that James started the war unconstitutionally. But, the president and other citizens thought Lincoln was just plain unpatriotic. The Wilnot Proviso came in with 1849. They supported that the extension of slavery into new territories should be prohibited. Lincoln knew his rival Stephen Douglas was trying to win and gain some ground. The bill failed to pass, so Lincoln tried again only to prohibit slavery in Washington D.C. this bill also failed to pass in congress. The Companies of 1850 was thought to be a final solution. California was a free state, Mexico gave up Texas, as long as the U.S paid off the 10 million dollar debt and Louis Lesh said, Let the people decide for themselves. But, most importantly Lincoln s no more slave trade in Washington D.C. The bill was passed and it was started. In 1854 the Kansas, Nebraska Act was proposed for a transcontinental railroad by Stephen Douglas. Now that this was taking place, Abraham reentered congress and was determined to stop the spread of slavery. Things did not get better for Kansas. Kansas was now the proslavery capital with illegal abolitionists supported by the aid society. A man by the name of John Brown, massacred 200 people in Kansas. Kansas was now on the verge of a civil war, according to Lincoln. Kansas was bleeding out of every end with people against people. People in the other states picked up their newspaper and it said, Bleeding Kansas. Lincoln was a Whig when he was in congress. The Emergence of the Republic Party wasnow being developed. This meant that the Whig s name was being dropped, and they would call themselves the Republican Party. Lincoln joined this party and soon the Democrats, who ruled the house, were now being taken over by the Republicans. This helped Lincoln out enormously during election time in 1861. The candidates for the senate seat was Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. They had different issues to debate about. Both of them were good speakers in the house. Lincoln was 6 4 , the tallest president, skinny, with a higher voice than normal. He was a hard worker and very ambitious. He was honest and had a excellent sense of humor. Lincoln said that, If slavery is not wrong, than nothing is wrong, there must not be an expansion of slavery. Stephen Douglas, on the other hand, was 5 2 with a low voice and a talent of getting the day out. Lincoln did not want to have slavery end with war. Douglas said, Lincoln and the Republican party, are too dangerous to society. Most people were on Douglas s side because he put more feeling into his debate. Lincoln said that according to the Constitution and the Decloration of Independence, people had the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. In 1860 the election of Lincoln and Douglas was battled out and Abraham won! He served his term during the Civil War, where he went from 180lbs. To 135lbs. because of the stress. The Civil War led to great speeches made by Lincoln including: The Gettysburg Address. Lincoln lived a happy and fulfilled life with many accomplishments which we can only dream of doing. Abraham Lincoln died by assignation on April 14th 1865.