The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Although other states such as Indiana lay claim to his birth, most sources agree that Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a backwoods cabin in Hodgeville, Kentucky. In an interview during his campaign for the presidency in 1860 Lincoln described his adolescence as "the short and simple annals of the poor." (p 30). His father Thomas was a farmer who married Nancy Hanks, his mother, in 1806.
Lincoln had one sister, Sarah, who was born in 1807.The Lincoln family was more financially comfortable than most despite the common historical picture of complete poverty. They moved to Indiana because of the shaky system of land titles in Kentucky. Because the Lincoln's arrived in Spencer County at the same time as winter, Thomas only had time to construct a "half-faced camp." Made of logs and boughs, it was enclosed on only three sides with a roaring fire for the fourth. The nearest water supply was a mile away, and the family had to survive on the abundance of wild game in the area.Less than two years after the move to Indiana, Mrs. Lincoln caught a horrible frontier disease known as "milk sick.". Thomas Lincoln returned to Kentucky to find a new wife.
On December 2 he married Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow with three children, and took them all back to Indiana. Although there were now eight people living in the small shelter, the Lincoln children, especially Abe, adored their new stepmother who played a key role in making sure that Abe at least had some formal education, amounting to a little less than a year in all. To support his family it was necessary that Abe worked for a wage on nearby farms."He was strong and a great athlete, but Abe preferred to read instead. Although few books were available to a backwoods boy such as himself, anything that he could obtain he would read tenaciously" (p 56).
Although his formal education had come to an end, his self-education was just beginning.After a three month flatboat journey along the Ohio and Mississippi, the 19 year old Lincoln returned to Indiana with an enthusiasm for the lifestyles that he had just encountered. Unfortunately, his new-found joy did not last long as his sister Sarah died in childbirth on January 20, 1828.In 1830 the Lincoln family decided to leave Indiana in hopes of a better future in Illinois. It was soon thereaft...
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... heard this only in connection with the name Lincoln."--Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)"In the days before antiseptic surgery, Lincoln had foreshadowed his own demise; his efforts to preserve the life of the nation had been successful at the cost of its strongest limb." (p 446)My View on the BookI found this book interesting and was surprised it was not another documentary style written biography. It was actually interesting to read due to Oates’ creative writing style. And being a factual historical story I learned a little about the life style of the post-colonial period and of course, the life of Lincoln himself whom I know like a close relative now due to the deep personal as well as external imagery expressed in this biography.
Work Cited
Oates, Stephen B. The Life of Abraham Lincoln
About the Author
Stephen B. Oates is a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and the author of eight other books, including The Fires of Jubilee and To Purge This Land with Blood. His task in this biography was to perpetuate Lincoln as he was in the days he lived. His purpose of this biography was to bring the past into the present for us and his students.
At the time, Abraham Lincoln was a captain of Virginia militia living in Rockingham County. Working as a farmer on a 210-acre farm deeded from his father, John Lincoln. In that same year, Abraham Lincoln took many Cherokee tribes in marches and fights. It was a time of fighting for the red and white men. To the north and east were the white men and to the south and west were the red men. Amos Lincoln went on a British ship and dumped a cargo of tea overboard to show their dominance. Now Abraham Lincoln had married a woman named Bathsheba Herring. She had three sons; Mordecai, Josiah, and Thomas and two daughters; Mary and Nancy. In the year 1782, Abraham and his family moved to
leading up to and surrounding President Abraham Lincoln’s death. The purpose of this book is to
Abraham Lincoln was born in February 12, 1809 three miles south of Hodgenville, Kentucky. Born of humble origins in a farmer family, he lost his mother at a young age and received minimum education during his younger years. Nevertheless, according to stories from his family and friends he loved to read and spent long periods of time reading. His cousin, Denis Hanks onc...
In “The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln,” Phillip Shaw Paludan argues that even though Abraham Lincoln faced unparalleled challenges, Lincoln was America’s greatest president as he preserved the Union and freed the slaves. According to Paludan, Lincoln’s greatness exceeds that of all other American presidents as Lincoln’s presidential service was remarkable in both the obstacles he faced as well as the ways in which he overcame them. Before accepting the distinguished chair in Lincoln studies at the University of Illinois, Springfield, Paludan was a professor of history at the University of Kansas for over 30 years. Paludan has authored several books including Victims: A True Story of the Civil War and A People’s Contest: The Union and Civil
This story was not only riveting, but also one that kept me on my heels for almost the entire time that I was reading it. Stephen B. Oates, a prize-winning author of thirteen books and more then seventy articles, is currently a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Some of his best novels have been 'With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln,'; 'Let the Trumpet Sound: The Life of Martin Luther King. Jr.,'; and 'Rip Ford's Texas.'; His writing is riveting as well as courageous. His willingness to get to such length to capture the mind of the reader and hold them in suspense has earned him several awards throughout his lustrous career. Some of the awards that Oates has received are the Christopher Award and the Barondess/Lincoln Award of the New York Civil War Round Table. His work has gained worldwide notoriety and is currently translated in four different languages: French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
James Oakes gave a brilliant and unique perspective to a relationship between two well known historical figures of their time. Abraham Lincoln is a well-admired president for the United States because as Americans culture teaches that he was an honest and well-respected man. He heard about a young African American man, who had high aspirations for his life and the blossoming United States. This man’s name was Frederick Douglass. James Oakes demonstrates how both Douglass and Lincoln worked towards the abolishment of slavery and effectively producing better outcomes within antislavery politics.
DiLorenzo, Thomas J. The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an
Abraham Lincoln came from humble beginnings. He was born in Kentucky, in a log cabin on February 12, 1809 (Bio.com 1). His father’s name was Thomas and his mother’s name was Nancy. They lived on a small plot of land in a shelter, until Thomas was able to buy the family a new home somewhere else.
During the Abraham Lincoln’s short time as president, he managed not only to save a nation deeply divided and at war with itself, but to solidify the United States of America as a nation dedicated to the progress of civil rights. Years after his death, he was awarded the title of ‘The Great Emancipator.’ In this paper, I will examine many different aspects of Lincoln’s presidency in order to come to a conclusion: whether this title bestowed unto Lincoln was deserved, or not. In order to fully understand Lincoln, it is necessary to understand the motives that drove this man to action. While some of his intentions may not have been for the welfare of slaves, but for the preservation of the Union, the actions still stand. Abraham Lincoln, though motivated by his devotion to his nation, made the first blows against the institution of slavery and rightfully earned his title of ‘The Great Emancipator.’
In reading through Abraham Lincoln: the Man Behind the Myths, I have seen my views on Lincoln pretty drastically changed. Prior to this novel, I took the very common stance of Abraham Lincoln being one of the greatest presidents we have ever had. Now, I wouldn’t say I am nearly as passionate about Lincoln as any of the authors mentioned are, and therefore I believe myself to be rather blind to the mythology built around Lincoln. However, despite this blindness, I will say that my eyes have been opened to who I believe Lincoln is as well as what my perception of him has to do with what I’m told. Oates does indeed have biases similar to the very authors he puts down, however, Oates seems to be trying to reach a more realistic realization.
Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as “The Great Emancipator,” His legacy as the man who freed the slaves, and the savior of the Union is one that fails to be forgotten. He is thought of as a hero, and one of the few to tackle slavery, a problem that has existed in many parts of the world at one time or another. Although Lincoln is credited with ending slavery, his political motives for confronting this issue and his personal views do not make him worthy of all the recognition he receives; the driven abolitionists and daring slaves deserve a much greater portion of the credit.
Abraham was the second child of Thomas and Nancy; he was born in a small log cabin on a farm in Kentucky. During his early life his family moved from Kentucky to Indiana in order to get out of slave territory. When Lincoln was nine his mother Nancy died of milk sickness, his father Thomas later remarried a widow named Sarah. Lincoln became very close to his new stepmother. He did not have much formal education but was a motivated self-educator.
Dilorenzo, Thomas J.. The Real Lincoln: a new look at Abraham Lincoln, his agenda, and an unnecessary war. Roseville, Calif: Prima, 2002
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).
Wilentz, Sean. "WHO LINCOLN WAS. (Cover story)." New Republic 240, no. 12/13 (July 15, 2009): 24-47. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed February 26, 2011).