Abraham Lincoln (1809-1862) (2100)

Of all the presidents in the history of the USA, Abraham Lincoln is probably the one that Americans remember the best and with the deepest affection. Abraham Lincoln is the most famous example of the "American dream": he rose from the lowest to the highest position. He was born in 1809 in a small farm in Kentucky, and spent the first seven years of his life there. Though Abe was young he was big and strong. At eight years of age an axe was put into his hands and he worked with the rest of his family at clearing the land of the trees.

In his entire life Abraham was only able to go to school for a total of one year. This lack of education only made him hungry for more knowledge. His mother influenced him in his quest for learning. Although she was completely uneducated and couldn't read and write, she encouraged her children to study by themselves.

In 1830 Abraham left his father's farm and went to Springfield, Illinois. There he became a clerk in a store and worked hard to improve his education. His power of speech helped him enter a new arena, that of politics and law. In 1834 Abraham was elected into the House of Representatives and began studying to become a lawyer.

Slavery was then becoming a burning question in American politics. Many people in the Northern states wanted to abolish it. Lincoln joined the Republicans, a new political party that was opposed to slavery. The Republicans nominated him for the U.S. Senate in 1858.

The Southern states opposed the abolition because the prosperity of the South was based on cotton-growing and only Negroes worked there. The Southerners threatened that if the North didn't stop its fight against slavery, the Southern states would leave the Union. They wanted to form an independent "Confederacy".

In 1860 Lincoln was elected President of the USA. In 1861 seven states left the Union and formed the confederacy. Lincoln was strongly against slavery and even more strongly against the break-up of the Union. But the North and South divided and in 1862 the Civil War began. At first the Southerners, headed by General Robert Lee, won some victories. But Lincoln never lost courage or faith in the righteousness of his cause. The bloody Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania was the largest battle ever fought on American soil. Soon the South surrendered and the Civil War ended on April 9, 1865. In five days, on April 14 President Lincoln was shot by an unsuccessful actor who supported Confederacy.

People admire Lincoln because he tried to preserve the nation. He is a symbol of American democracy.

Check your comprehension.

1. What is Abraham Lincoln noted for? 2. What kind of education did he get? 3. How did he enter politics? 4. What was a burning question in American politics at the time? 5. When was Lincoln elected president of the USA? 6. Why did the Southern states strongly oppose the abolition of slavery? 7. Why was the Confederacy formed? 8. What was the bloodiest battle in the Civil War? 9. How long did the Civil War last? 10. What do people admire Lincoln for?

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