Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14004/14004-h/images/img1_lincoln.jpg ())

Would you ever believe that a boy who lived in a log cabin would ever become President of the United States?  Not many people would believe that, but I do because that's just what Abraham Lincoln did.  My hero is Abraham Lincoln because he was honest, determined and inspiring.

First of all, Abraham Lincoln is my hero because he was so honest.  One reason I say that Lincoln was honest is because he said what he thought was true.  For example, he said, "Every man is equal" at a time when many people did not agree with him.  In fact, it was during the 1860's when slavery was a big controversy.  He was honest about slavery when he said it would die out on its own even if it were not made illegal because "two houses cannot stand as one."  He is referring to the North and South as two houses and means that the North and the South cannot each have their own rules and still stand as one country.  He believed that if they continued to do that the country would fall apart because of all the disagreement.  So, his honesty is an admirable quality at time when it was not popular to be honest.

In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln is my hero because he was honest, determined, and inspiring.  Even many people today study about him, visit his memorial and home place, and school children everywhere celebrate him on President's Day.

Photo http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14004/14004-h/images/img1_lincoln.jpg

Second of all, Abraham Lincoln is my hero because he was so determined.  Because of his feelings that slavery was wrong, he was determined to end it in every state in the country.  For example, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1861 that made it illegal to own a slave in the United States.  That started the Civil War when southern states started to secede from the union.  Lincoln did not back down, because he felt deep in his heart that it was wrong to take innocent people and beat them, not feed them well, separate their families, and making them work unbearable hours for no pay; basically treating humans like animals.  Another way he was determined was in his efforts to find a good general because had nobody lead the union in the battle for keeping the union together.  He went through four generals that either quit or he fired them because they weren't courageous or intelligent enough to lead in the battles.  He was determined to find someone who could lead the union's army to bring the south back into the union.  He did that Ulysses S. Grant (who later became the 18^th President of the United States).  So, Lincoln's determination saved the union and helped identify a great leader for future presidency,

Last of all, Abraham Lincoln is my hero because he was inspiring to people like me.  I think the Gettysburg Address was one of the most famous speeches Lincoln ever made was because it was only two minutes long and probably the best speech in American history.  It inspired the people at that time to begin the healing process after so many lives had been lost to the war.  His statement that "Every man is equal" is still inspiring to people today of all races.  It was inspiring when Lincoln was assassinated and people were so grieved by his death.  That proved how touched the common people were by him and his beliefs.  When his body was transported by train from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, it took so many days for the trip because so many stops had to be made for people along the way to see his casket.  The whole country mourned his passing because he was so inspirational.