Lincoln is regarded by the public and historians as one of the greatest presidents in the US history usually in the top three, along with George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1831 at the age of 22, he moved to Illinois, and continued his self-education by borrowing books and teaching himself subjects such as grammar, history and law.
He worked as a store clerk. He was also an appointed postmaster. Then he became a lawyer. Many people brought their problems to him. They began to call him “honest Abe” and trusted him to do what was right and honest.
In 1832 he ran for the state legislature, but only his second effort proved to be successful, and in 1834 he was elected as one of representatives to Illinois State Legislature.
In 1858 the 1st series of debates took place between Illinois senatorial candidates A. Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in Ottawa. It was the most famous political debate in American history. Lincoln made a brilliant speech.
On November 6,1860, Lincoln was elected as the 16th president of the US.
He was the first Republican president, winning entirely on the strength of his support in the north.
The southern states didn’t support him.
Soon after Lincoln’s inauguration the slave-holding states of South seceded from the Union and formed their own sovereign nation, the Confederate States.
It became a reason of the American Civil War 1861-1865.
A.Lincoln proved to be a shrewd military strategist and a talented leader; his speeches can be regarded as pieces of oratory art; his Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for slavery’s eventual abolition.
Over the years, Lincoln’s mythic stature has only grown, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents in the nation’s history.
Lincoln’s name and image appear in numerous places, including the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, and Lincoln’s sculpture on Mount Rushmore.
We can see Lincoln on the $5 bill and the Lincoln cent.
There are different postage stamps with Lincoln.
Many of Lincoln’s statements became aphorisms. For example:
- Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought.
- When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.