Abraham Lincoln Vs. John F. Kennedy

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Abraham Lincoln Vs. John F. Kennedy

PRESIDENT ASSASSINATED! That has been a headline in the papers four times in the history of the United States of America. Two of those four presidents were Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy are undoubtedly two of the most famous presidents of the United States. Both loved by the American people were shot from behind by a supposedly lone assassin. Many questions and conspiracy theories revolve around their lives, which make them so interesting. They were born close to one hundred years apart and had opposite lifestyles before their presidency. Yet, there are many similarities between them.

Abraham Lincoln was born near Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809 in a small cabin. He had two other siblings but one died as an infant. His family moved to Indiana when he was just a boy. He grew up very poor. When he was nine his mother died. His father remarried and it is thought that Abraham’s love for learning came from her. Although the little time he went to school added up, it would only total to about a year. Yet, he still taught himself to read and write. Early on he found a dislike for farming, fishing , and hunting when he would help his father. When he was 21 he moved to Illinois. Here he tried many different jobs such as a rail-splitter, flatboatman, storekeeper, postmaster, surveyor, and a blacksmith. In 1832, he joined the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War, but saw no fighting. In the end he found he liked practicing law the best. He became one of the most successful lawyers in Illinois. While practicing law he married Mary Todd in 1842. They had four boys, but only one grew to adulthood. Twenty years afte...

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...ting ready for the re-election. While sitting in a car during a parade, he was shot in the back of the head by Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine. He was pronounced dead that day. When Oswald was in custody he was killed by someone in the crowd. Instantly questions and conspiracy theories revolved round his death. It is thought there was more than one shooter. ( "Kennedy, assassination”)

So even though both Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy were separated by an entire century and grew up very differently, they still had many similarities. Both had believed in human rights and both had to deal with a war while in office. Both were assassinated from behind and both the assassins were killed before they could be questioned. Lincoln and JFK were loved by the majority of Americans. Their assassinations were considered dark days in American history.

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