1. In what ways did Lincolns wife and family affect his presidency? Mrs. Lincoln seemed to teeter on two opposite sides of the spectrum when it came down to how she was affecting her husband’s presidency in my opinion. On one end, she seemed to be who he leaned on and confided in, which one would inference would alleviate some stress from him. But on the other, she seemed to be a big stressor of his due to a mixture of her mental state after losing their son Willie and the stresses of being first lady, and just her natural character. In one scene from the film, you see Mrs. Lincoln giving her husband advice towards the passing of the 13th amendment, and she tells him not to waste his time on a bill that would surely be shot down. I viewed this scene as her trying to help her husband (in her own way) but she was attempting to make sure his reputation and legacy as president was …show more content…
Lincoln was very intriguing to me. Initially she comes off strong and even controlling in some ways of her husband but also in general. She always makes sure she strongly represents the president in public, regardless of what she may be going through mentally. She is a very family oriented woman, and her children along with her husband seem to be her purpose and most important to her. I would call her the backbone of the Lincoln home and as her character develops, you see Mrs. Lincoln start to break down. The scene where Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln are discussing Robert enlisting, you see that Mrs. Lincoln is well beyond depressed. She mentions she would never forgive Abe, and he eventually tells her he should have admitted her to the mental hospital, and she even tells him he blames Robert for being born, and trapping him in a marriage he didn’t want to be in. You see a very vulnerable, broken, unstable first lady. Then there is a scene in Willies room, where Mr. Lincoln finds his wife sitting alone, and they begin to discuss her sorrows and you get even more light into her guilt and
This book was very vivid in detail and is a great educational tool if you would like to learn more about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. In my opinion, the flow was very inconsistent. In my opinion some parts where boring, but some parts kept me on the edge of my seat. The only commentary I would have for the characters in “Chasing Lincoln’s Killer” would be to the two men who just hid in the town. John Wilkes Booth and David Herold had honestly the best shot to survive by running into the countryside. I believe that this book is not for everyone, but I think this book is great for avid biography or American history book readers like myself. I love Abraham Lincoln’s story so this was an easy read, so I believe if your liking is similar to mine, you should honestly check this book out. Detail that helped me understand the book better was that John Wilkes Booth was an actor, and he has preformed at Ford’s theatre, and on his day off is when the assassination took place. In conclusion, I do not believe this book is for everyone, but if you like to dig deep into American culture, check out “Chasing Lincoln’s Killer” because Abraham Lincoln’s assassination was a pivotal component to not only the civil war, but to American
leading up to and surrounding President Abraham Lincoln’s death. The purpose of this book is to
Williams portrays Lincoln in a very positive light, allowing the reader to realize the greatness of Lincoln, in his compassion, strategy, statesmanship and lack of ego. Williams has provided numerous instances wherein he provides ample support to his arguments and facts. In spite of the unnecessary detail and verbosity that Williams sometimes uses, there is no doubt that this book is a remarkable insight into Lincoln’s persona.
This speech has been much debated and scrutinized by historians, they have come to the conclusion that they see broad implications for later public policies. Lincoln wanted to build a strong political system. He was a great supporter of equal rights, he wanted women's rights when nobody else did. He wanted to abolish slavery before other people took up the cause. People claim that the Lyceum Address gives a full insight into his
“The greatest measure of the 19th century was passed by corruption, aided and abetted by the purest man in the world.” This quote, by Thaddeus Stevens, served to announce the corruption and dismay found within the presidency of Lincoln, as he attempted to pass the infamous 13th amendment. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States of America, set forth ideas that were unknown at the time. As a major opponent of slavery towards the end of his term, Lincoln voiced his plans to abolish slavery, along with ending the Civil War. Although these plans seemed far-fetched at the time, Lincoln used his power and popularity to achieve both goals, paving the way for equality throughout the States. Despite the fact that the Civil War began merely as a fight to preserve the union, Lincoln soon
DiLorenzo evidently proves to find more faults in Abraham Lincoln and his decision process while he was president. Therefore, he wrote this book for one purpose. And that was to “cure the selective amnesia Lincoln’s defenders have promoted” (Ewers). This book promptly gives evidence throughout it to prove all of DiLorenzo’s statements about Lincoln. However, DiLorenzo failed to ever mention the opposing views. Although DiLorenzo may not have complied with Lincoln that still did not take away from the kind of leader Lincoln was. No matter what was thrown his way during his presidency, “Lincoln rose above his shortcomings and tackled, head on, the most challenging issue of his day” (Gamble). Without mentioning Lincoln’s strong points as well as his weak, DiLorenzo’s book has a lower qualification as a book of research and more of
The 1864 presidential election was one of the important elections in the American History. In the middle of a devastating civil war, the United States had held its presidential election almost without discussing any alternative (American President: A Reference Resource). None of the other Democratic nations had ever conducted a national election during the time of war. While there was still talk going in postponing the election. That was when Lincoln pointed out that America needs a free government and without conducting the election we have ruined ourselves (Boller P.115). So, before even the year had ended United States had gone forward with its voting just as in peacetime.
An important aspect of Abraham Lincoln’s overall performance is his personal and political background. Concerning his opinions on slavery, his personal background shaped his ideals in a very unique way. James McPherson, author of the short biography Abraham Lincoln, provides some insight into Lincoln’s background, writing that Lincoln’s fathe...
People in the south looked down upon Lincoln, can you only imagine what that feels like to have people, the very people you are sworn to take an oath to protect and to show guidance to them? Then on top of that there being a war fought and you being one of the main contributing factors to why this civil war is being fought in your country. I'm sure that affected him and if you, yourself truly think about it, he did an amazing job at not showing the effect it was and that it took on him because no matter who it is, there was a bloody war and Lincoln was the figure that many people in torn America sought to for guidance and answers during this bloody time in American
...rried.Mary Todd Lincoln had an extremely difficult life. The challenges she faced from growing up in a dysfunctional Southern family affected many areas of her life. Marrying Abraham Lincoln made problems for her as well as the demands placed on both of them when he became President. ?As a Southern woman in the White House during the Civil War Mary was disliked by many and often criticized? (Turner 78).
There is no doubt that Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the great American presidents. The general public, when asked about Lincoln, will often tell the tale of a great man. Holding their head high, they will embark on the journey of a benevolent leader, praising the man who envisioned a new America: a great country of racial equality, and the pillar of human liberty. There are some, however, who have quite the opposite view.
Little do most people know, our sixteenth President Abraham Lincoln, suffered from a depression also known as Melancholy. Lincoln was, considered by most, one of our greatest Presidents. As a U.S. president, Lincoln had many great accomplishments. For example he had a vital role in preserving the Union during the Civil War, he ended slavery, had good speeches and letters and was very humble. On the outside “Honest Abe” was a strong, intelligent man. On the inside, he was falling apart. Few people these days and in this century know of Lincoln’s condition while he was in office. Oddly though, Lincoln was very open about his depression while running for office. Because the public knew about his condition, many people wonder if it had any effect on the peoples voting preference. He won the election so apparently the people didn’t care. Some people became curious of Lincoln’s case and if depression ran in his family or if it was just something that came up. Abraham Lincoln’s
... across the world. But to those who knew him, he was more then just a president. In addition to being a man who made revolutionary changes to our nation, he was also a devoted husband and father to his four sons. Despite his intimidating 6'4" figure, he was a kind, warm-hearted man, who actually cared about the common people. His family and friends had a substantial influence on him and they played an extremely important role in his life. They supported him in whatever he set his mind to and they kept him sane when he felt like he was about ready to breakdown during difficult times. There is more to Lincoln than most people could ever imagine, and his personal life could never be complete without his family. Lincoln had a very intimate relationship with his wife Mary Todd, and he showed endless love and affection to his children. Abraham Lincoln was a true family man.
from 1860 to 1865 (Wilson, 1). From humble upbringings to becoming the most powerful man in America, "Honest Abe" is known today as a great and influential person whose message echoes in American politics as well as American ethics. Lincoln is almost always voted the best or near-best President among historians (Wilson, 1). He helped mend the rift between the Union and the Confederacy, reuniting and reconstructing America and leading the way for his successors to tum this land ofthe free and home of the brave into the powerhouse it is today (Fetzer, 310). From his log cabin childhood to his tragic death, Abraham Lincoln was a great man whose legend lives on today.
The movie Lincoln focuses on the four months of Abraham Lincoln's life before his death. Lincoln starts in January 1865. In the movie, Lincoln is afraid the Emancipation Proclamation will be denied by Congress once the Civil War ends. Lincoln also fears the Thirteenth Amendment will not be passed once the southern states are reunited with the northern states. The Thirteenth Amendment concerns the freeing of slaves. Lincoln has to get some Democrats on board with the Thirteenth Amendment if Lincoln wants the Thirteen Amendment passed. Since the Civil War is projected to end in less than a month, Lincoln had to get to work. Lincoln's advisers advise him to wait until the new Congress is in place. However, Lincoln is firm in his belief of the Thirteenth Amendment needing to be passed immediately. Lincoln goes to the head Republican, Francis Preston Blair, to use Blair's influence to get all the Republican vote. Blair tells Lincoln that in order for Blair to endorse the Thirteenth Amendment, Blair must go and seek peace with the South. Blair's request is frustrating to Lincoln, as the Radical Republicans Lincoln got votes from are extremely against a negotiated peace that allows slavery. However, Lincoln needs Blair's vote, so Lincoln allows Blair to go make peace with the Confederates. Next, Lincoln focuses on the “lame duck” Democrats' vote. Lincoln believes since the Democrats lost the re-election, the Democrats will not be aiming to please the public and will vote the way they so choose. Lincoln cannot give the Democrats bribes, so Lincoln has individuals go and discreetly offer the Democrats federal jobs in return for their vote.