Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the greatest leaders of America by many Americans. Yet people alive when Lincoln was elected in 1860 would probably be surprised by modern-day opinions about him. He had little formal education or government experience. During the presidential campaign, people made fun of his appearance and his simple way of talking.
Born in a poor family, Lincoln taught himself by reading books and eventually became a lawyer. He was known for being tall and strong. And he was honest. After he became a politician, Lincoln believed slavery violated the American Declaration of Independence, which said all men had the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Due to his political beliefs, the support of anti-slavery northerners gave him the presidency. In response, 11 southern states withdrew from the Union and formed a new government. Then the American Civil War broke out between the South and the North. Neither side expected the fighting to last very long——a few weeks or maybe months.
The war involved the entire country. At least four million men fought in it. Among the soldiers were African-American and Native-American men. The conflict divided families. And hundreds of thousands of people died. However, the war changed the country. It completely affected American politics, economics, and society. Abraham Lincoln was the US president through all of it.
| A. As promised, Lincoln sent the supply ships. B. Brothers, fathers, and sons fought against each other. C. The people he defended in the court called him "Honest Abe". D. But the southern, slave-holding states did not support him. E. To everyone's surprise, the American Civil War lasted more than four years. F. Some of his opponents—— especially in southern states——had even bigger concerns. G. They warned that he was not very intelligent and would harm the nation's image. |
