Among American heroes, Lincoln continues to have a unique appeal for his fellow countrymen and also for people of other lands. This charm derives from his remarkable life story—the rise from humble origins, the dramatic death—and from his distinctively human and humane personality as well as from his historical role as savior of the Union and emancipator of the slaves. His relevance endures and grows especially because of his eloquence as a spokesman for democracy. In his view, the Union was worth saving not only for its own sake but because it embodied an ideal, the ideal of self-government. (encyclopedia Britannica)
Challenges in his life:
- Abraham Lincoln was born into poverty on February 12, 1809.
- He attended school for only one year.
- His mother died when he was 9 years old.
- He failed twice in business and was bankrupt.
- His first fiance died before they could be wed.
- He suffered a nervous breakdown when he was 26.
- He ran for the state legislature and lost.
- He ran for the U.S. Senate twice and lost.
- He had four sons but only one lived into adulthood.
Accomplishments:
- He is the only president to have a patent.
- While it's true that he lost eight elections, he did serve several terms in the state legislature and one term in the U.S. Congress
- The 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates vaulted him into national prominence.
- In 1860 he was elected President and is not just considered one of the most effective and influential presidents of all time but also one of the most important men in our nation's history.
- On January 1, 1863 he delivered the Emancipation Proclamation
- On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered what would become his most famous speech and one of the most important speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address.
- April 9, 1865, the Civil War was won and the Union was restored.
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