Abraham Lincoln is often said to be a man with little happiness in his life. This is a very true statement when looking at the tragedy that Lincoln experienced throughout his life. Looking at Lincoln’s life there are three main areas where death plays a significant role in how Lincoln views life. The three significant times where death impacted Lincoln’s life are during his childhood, during his young adulthood, and during his presidency.
Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809 and was named after his grandfather who had been killed by Indians. His father was an uneducated man but tried to provide for his family. Lincoln did not live in a specific place for his childhood, as his father moved around to find work. Education was not an important role in Lincoln’s early childhood. This unsettled life was difficult. Lincoln’s first exposure to death was in 1812, with the death of his younger brother, Thomas, who died while an infant. Abraham was only three years old. Life had been a bit better for Abraham with the addition of family members to the household. His great aunt and uncle, the Sparrows joined the family. However, this was but a brief time as the Sparrows and his mother died from milk sickness. His life was increasingly difficult after the death of his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, when Abraham was only nine years old. Abraham became very close to his sister.
Sarah and Abraham grew up and were protective of one another. Sarah married Aaron Gribsy in August 1826, became pregnant in 1827 and died during childbirth in 1828. Abraham was very distraught with the death of his sister. He was nineteen at the time of her death. Lincoln was awkward around women, until he met Ann Rutledge. He had an...
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... had made. Abraham never said much about this loss, but it must have been a harsh blow to the nine-year-old boy and probably strengthened the melancholy streak in his personality.” (Loc 279, Kindle edition).
With this being one of the first exposures to death, Lincoln was never taught how to cope with loss and therefore, was unable to overcome the depression that accompanied the deathblows in his life. With each death that he experienced, the more he was unable to overcome his depression. By the time he experienced the death of his son Willie, he was unable to console his wife, or allow himself to grieve at all for his son.
Works Cited
Andrew Delbanco, (2009). The Portable Abraham Lincoln (Penguin Classics). New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Gienapp, W. E., (202). Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Abraham Lincoln served in many facets of the United States government and was also a respected lawyer in Illinois. He was best known for being elected as the 16th President of the United States of America. As president, Lincoln guided the United States through one of the worst times in American history, the Civil War. From the start of his political career, Lincoln was instrumental in his efforts and eventual success in ending slavery in America. He was known for his public speaking abilities and delivered some of the most popular speeches in United States history. He lived a successful life before the presidency, during the presidency, and up to the time of his tragic death. His life was cut short when he was assassinated in 1865 while still serving as President of the United States. Lincoln was revered as one of the greatest presidents in American history. Prior to becoming one of the most powerful men in the world, Lincoln grew up in a poverty-stricken family.
The same day his death was pronounced, flags across America were raised in respect. Everyone seemed to shut down in disbelief, even after the victory of the Civil War happened days before. When Lincoln’s body was being delivered by train to Springfield, tens of thousands of Americans lined up by the railroad to pay their respects to a man who had so much impact to the development of the United States. Abraham Lincoln was a leader who made an impact and was known for his devotion and honesty. His influence towards this country was shown through the endless number citizens who paid their respect to him. Abraham Lincoln was honored by his accomplishments as president, but most people are unaware of his life experiences that lead him to success. He experienced a lot during his lifetime, which fueled him to do the things he did to accomplish his achievements and relationships. President Abraham Lincoln is without a doubt one of the most vital historic figures to walk on American soil. He will continue to be known for generations to come, not only for being on the five dollar bill, the penny, or Mount Rushmore, but what he stood for and pursued. Without his determination and perseverance, slavery would not have ended like it did and America would not be running with emphasis on equality like it is
On Feburary the 12th 1809 was Abraham Lincoln born in Hodgenville, Kenucky. He grew up in poor circumstances. His parents Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks were little farmers later “Abe” had to work in the farm. For his school education wasn't much time. In December 1816 the Lincolns moved, to the newly admitted state of Indiana. The Lincolns lived in a small, three-sided shelter on Pigeon Creek, sixteen miles north of the Ohio River. There “Abe” learned the use of axe and plow when he had to help his father. Together they built a shelter and a farm out of the hardwood forest. When his mother died in 1818, his father Thomas went back to Kentucky and remarried. His new wife's name was Sarah "Sally" Bush Johnston, a widow from Kentucky. His stepmother bothered for Abrahams school education and took the decision, that Abraham does also something for his school education during his work on the farm. She also gave him on his birthday some books to learn reading. But his father wanted, that Abraham work as a farmer. 1830 he moved out from his family and went to New Salam and worked there as a business person and continued his private study.
The attitude of people towards Lincoln changed radically after his murder. It was an occasion when the whole nation was perhaps for the first time facing such a calamity where everyone had been forced to think about the changing political situation of the country. At the same time, Lincoln’s funeral rites and processions were done on such a large and grand scale that people starting to look at him in a different light. It was because of the symbolism that these funeral rites projected that the people started to raise Lincoln to a higher level. Even though people did not like him and his policies, there was an element of sympathy and people automatically started to show their affection for their President who was murdered so brutally and so publically. Plus, when Lincoln was killed, the nation was already in a state of sharp emotions, and this allowed for an even increased impact of his death upon the
He became known for hard work and honesty. The other lawyers called him honest abe. His fellow lawyers began to call him honest Abe. Lincoln became a very successful lawyer and politician due to his warm personality and self deprecating humor. He eventually bought a house in 1844 for fifteen hundred dollars. The kind of marriage that the Lincolns had inside the house is debated amongst many historians. Most believe that it was a terrible marriage. William Herndon, Lincoln's law partner described the marriage as a “scorching, burning hell”. Others believe that William Herndon hated Mary and deliberately exaggerated the slight problems they had with their marriage. Many historians believe that Lincoln was so involved in the public life that it led to him not giving Mary the proper attention that she needed, causing increased tension in the relationship. Lincoln would often treat his first son distantly in the same way his father treated him due to the fact that he had just begun his career as a lawyer and politician. In 1846, the Lincolns had a second son Edward. That same year Abraham Lincoln decided to enter politics at the national level winning the whig party nomination for a congressional seat. So the Lincolns moved from Illinois to Washington. He and his family began to fall in love with Washington, which of course led to an increase in his great ambition. It was there in Washington that Lincoln first encountered slavery. He could not walk from his boarding house to the capital without seeing the slave auction houses. Lincoln proposed a referendum to end slavery but was forced to drop the idea when it won almost no support. After serving one term in congress Lincoln found himself back in Springfield. Being out of politics, his last dealings with his father, and the death of his second son Edward, led Abraham into a depression. Abraham finally got rid of
First, Lincoln’s death was a bad thing because it put the country into grief. For example, “...people who had recently rejoiced at the end of the civil
Abraham Lincoln led America through its bloodiest war. His actions changed the nation forever, and his legacy lives on today. Lincoln was the sixteenth President of the United States. Throughout the Civil War, Lincoln’s political strategies aided the Union victory. Lincoln set the Reconstruction of America into motion, and abolished slavery. In what follows, I will be discussing the life of one of the nation’s greatest presidents. Before his famous political career, Lincoln was a self educated lawyer. In debates across his life, he opposed slavery. During his time in Congress and in the Senate, Lincoln passed many laws, some that locally abolished slavery before the Civil War.
In 1834, he was voted into the state legislature. He served for four terms and also achieved prominence when he was a Whig. He obtained his license as an attorney in 1836. A year after getting his attorney license, he moved back to Springfield, IL, where he and John T. Stuart became partners. Abraham Lincoln showed his ability as a great lawyer; he was very sincere, was a good speaker and had a way with winning arguments. Lincoln married Marry Todd after a troubled courtship in 1842. He and his new spouse moved to Washington, D.C. in 1847, where he served in the House of Representatives. Lincoln supported economic development and opposed the Mexican War while serving ...
Abraham Lincoln was born in February 12, 1809 he was the 16th president. Abraham Lincoln, a self taught Illinois lawyer and legislator with a reputation as an eloquent opponent of slavery, shocked many when he overcame several more prominent contenders to win the republican party's nomination for president in 1860. His childhood was rough. his mother died when he was nine years old and his family moved several times; from kentucky, where he was born, to indiana, and then their family moved to Illinois in his early 20’s. he had a sister named Sarah, her nickname was sally she was born to Nancy Hanks and Tom Lincoln. Tom was and uneducated man but
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and shaped the way our nation is today. He was born on February 12, 1809 and lived his early years in a log cabin in rural Kentucky. His mother’s death when he was nine years old affected him greatly and put an emotional strain on his relationship with his father. His father embodied everything Lincoln despised including laziness, lacking ambition, and anti-intellectual. A love for knowledge helped Abraham to become a well spoken, intelligent, and popular young man as he work odd jobs in Illinois.
Lincolns legacy and accomplishments still live on today. Lincoln is remembered by most as a self-made man with good character. Lincoln guided are nation through one its craziest times and preserved the union. Lincoln is honored in many ways today from statues to his name being used in a wide variety of things. Lincoln’s remains were then transported to Springfield, Illinois by train. Many funerals were held as the train stopped at many cities in the North.
Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Kentucky. His father was Thomas Lincoln and his mother was Nancy Hanks, both were pioneer farmers. When Abraham Lincoln was two they moved to nearby Knob Creek, Indiana. The following year his mother died. In 1819 Abraham Lincoln’s father married Sarah Bush Johnston, a kind widow who gained Abraham Lincoln’s friendship. Abraham Lincoln grew up to be a tall, gangling boy who could handle himself. He also showed intellectual promises, even though he had little formal education. In 1831 he moved again to Macon County, Illinois and finally he got a job on a cargo ship sailing down the Mississippi to New Orleans. He then returned to Illinois to settle in New Salem on the Sangamon River, were he became a clerk at a local store. In 1832 he became Captain of a company going to fight in the Black Hawk War. When the war ended he came home and he tried to open a store but that ended in a failure when his partner died. In 1833 he was appointed postmaster. But he also had to take up surveying to support himself. In time he was able to pay off his debts and began to study law.
Lincoln had problems with his family within his family while in presidency. His eldest son, Robert Lincoln, wanted to be a soldier but, Abraham Lincoln did not want Robert to enlist. Because of the war, obviously, people will die and Abraham Lincoln did not want Robert’s death to become in his immediate future. Abraham Lincoln does not want to lose another son. Another obstacle that Abraham Lincoln had to face was coping with one of his son’s death, Willie. During the film, Lincoln said that he could never show his feelings. He felt like he wanted to be buried with his son, which showed how much he loved his children. Even Mrs. Lincoln could not deal with her son’s death. She was distraught, and at one point Lincoln threatened to send her to the crazy house if she did not stop
Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. He went to school there for only a few weeks (Leland, pg.20), but had to move to Illinois because his father had a problem with the owner of the land. Lincolns mother died when he was only 9 years old in 1818, her maiden name was Nancy hanks (Leland, pg.9). She died from the ‘’Miller Fever’’ which is what the common sickness was called in Western America. Before the age of 20 he had lost his mother, older sister and infant brother (Guelzo pg.123). Lincoln distinguished himself as a writer, after he realized that he made spelling his favorite subject. He was then at the height of about six foot six inches and was only at the age of 16 (Leland, pg.21). Lincoln worked as a ferry-man for a person named James Taylor in 1825, aside from that he was also a farmer, cooked for his mistress and would study mostly till midnight (Leland, pg.25-26).
The crippling deaths of his mother and sister early on in his life were some factors into Lincoln’s severe depression. Lincoln was particularly close with his mother, whom he admired greatly; unfortunately she died when Lincoln was only nine years old because of a disease carried in milk. Within a couple years of this Mother’s death, Lincoln also lost his other closest family member, his sister Sarah, who died in childbirth. Lincoln did not show symptoms of depression, or “melancholy”, as a teen but he did as an adult. These tragic deaths paired with intense studies and too much alone time are factors that probably played into Lincoln’s depression (Siegel). Lincoln was known around town for having a good sense of humor and great storytelling abilities, and he was able to use these aspects of his personality to cope and start to make himself feel better. However, Lincoln’s fear of being forgotten after he died propelled him to keep moving forward (Doris Kearns). In an interview Goodwin paraphrased that after signing the Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln told his best friend this: “well, Speed, remember that conversation we had when I was in my depths? Well, maybe at last, my fondest wish has been realized. I will be remembered after I die”. Lincoln was able to overcome a fear, and have a dream come true at the same time; however, even though Lincoln was able to beat his depression it led to him having an overall melancholy disposition in