Week 5: Abraham Lincoln
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Full name: Abraham Lincoln
Born: February 12, 1809
Died: April 15, 1865
Importance: Led the United States through the Civil War and abolished slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
Pictures:
Gettysburg Address
Key Facts
Lincoln became the United States’ first Republican president on March 4, 1861. He was re-elected in 1864 and remained in office until his assassination and death on April 15, 1865.
Delivered the historic Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery on November 19, 1863. It has become one of the most frequently quoted speeches in American history.
Lincoln’s personal life was beset by tragedy, as only one of his four sons with wife Mary Todd lived past the age of 18.
Quotes from Abraham Lincoln
"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot long retain it."
"With malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."
Excerpts from Andy Andrews
Excerpt #1 from:
“I believe that wisdom, when harnessed over time, leads ordinary people in incredible directions. Long before their hands or voices produce greatness, wisdom shapes their minds and hearts.
“If we will only be patient and open, wisdom will reach out to us even from the Almighty’s backyard. Mountains teach stability. The sun and the moon model faithfulness. The seas demonstrate our capacity to change. Even the tiny ant shows us about teamwork and dedication and thriftiness.
“Wisdom is the ability to discern. It is our perspective on life—our balance, our harmony. Wisdom is our understanding of how life works and our sense of humor when it doesn’t. Wisdom is playful and caring. Wisdom ushers in good judgment, calms agitation . . .” Lincoln paused and made certain he had the eyes of everyone. “And if it is harnessed, wisdom just might restore humanity to the pathway toward successful civilization.”
Excerpt #2 from:
“On September twenty-second of last year, I signed a proclamation of emancipation for all slaves specifying that they will be hence-forward and forever free. The timing of that gesture is still the subject of some debate. One of my cabinet members made it known to anyone who would listen that a vast majority of the public stood against me and my intention to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. My platform, however, is that while public opinion might sway back and forth, right and wrong do not.
“If we familiarize ourselves with the chains of bondage, we prepare our own limbs to wear them. The spirit of our government and our institutions must be to elevate people, and I am opposed to whatever degrades them. I am of the opinion that right makes might. Therefore, I signed the document, and now we will enforce its effectiveness.
“So you question was, ‘Do I believe that God is on our side?’ To be quite honest, I haven’t given that question very much attention. I am much more concerned with whether we are on God’s side.”
Abraham Lincoln on the web
The Official Lincoln Library Site
One (maybe two!) book about Abraham Lincoln you must read
