Abraham Lincoln

One of the first things you think of when you hear the name Abraham Lincoln is honest, but Mr. Lincoln showed a lot of perseverance as well. He is an actual demonstration of the saying “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” Lincoln helped out the slaves by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, he advanced our government with his strong ideas and opinions, and was an effective military leader in the Civil War. Even though he only got about a years worth of formal education, Lincoln believed in God and used what he did know to become a great man. A lot can be learned from Abraham Lincoln.

Abe Lincoln had strong opinions and ideas that were considered wrong by many people in the surrounding cities where he lived, but he never backed down and instead, stood his ground. Originally, Lincoln was part of the Whig party, but as time progressed and opinions changed, he became a Republican. Running for representative to the Illinois legislature, he was elected in 1834 and continued with his profession until 1840. Abraham eventually became the floor leader. In between his legislative sessions, he studied law. He was a skilled speaker and used his common sense to win his cases. Lincoln never went near abolitionist groups, but he was against slavery. Honest Abe wanted to go to Congress, and therefore sought nomination for the Seventh Congressional District in 1842 and 1844; he was finally elected in 1846. When his term was finished, he wanted to run again, but was not reelected and didn’t receive an offer better than the governorship of Oregon Territory, which he turned down. Lincoln believed slavery was tyranny because men were treating other men just like animals; he now had a cause: antislavery.

Because Abraham Lincoln was against slavery, he lost a lot of supporters. In 1856, the Illinois delegation wanted Lincoln for vice president, but unfortunately wasn’t nominated because he was unpopular because of his antislavery beliefs. Throughout his career, Lincoln met up with a man named Stephen Douglas and they battled out many debates. During these debates, he gained a lot of knowledge and made a few interesting statements. In 1860, after he was done with a particular debate with Douglas in New York, where hundreds of people attended the discussion, he gained national recognition because he was liked by a lot of men from New York, which helped him with the upcoming presidential elections. Both the Illinois Republican state convention and the Republican national convention nominated Lincoln to run for president. After many years of disappointments and failings, Lincoln finally won the election for president in 1860. During his years as president, Lincoln made many crucial changes. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which got the banning of slavery rolling in the United States, he brought together the states that had seceded, continued the progression of the government, and he helped command the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was an honest, determined man, who followed God’s will and helped change our country.