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¶ … Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography by William E. Gienapp. Specifically, it will discuss the most interesting and surprising thing discovered after reading this book. The most surprising aspect of the book was he was only 56 when he died, because he appears much older in the portraits and images Americans are familiar with, and that seems to be because the presidency aged him considerably.
Often, modern presidents seem to age dramatically from when they enter the White House to when the leave it, and this seems to be a relatively recent phenomenon based on all the pressures of the office. However, Lincoln's biography proves that is not the case, and that fact was interesting to learn. One of the reasons it aged him was dealing with all the pressures of the Civil War, but there were other reasons, too. For example, an intriguing fact was that he worked so hard. The author writes, "Few presidents have put in longer days, worked harder, or endured greater strain. A government official who called on him early in 1863 observed that he looked 'worn and haggard' and that 'his hand trembled' when he wrote" (Gienapp 128). All this hard work helped age him, and the author...
This was surprising, too, because when looking back at history, it seems like the Union had the distinct advantage, and that the South lost most of the battles. This however, was not the case. The author continues, "And in fact, Grant's losses were staggering: 60,000 men in one month of heavy fighting. In the capital the president, haggard and weary from lack of sleep, seemed overburdened with sorrow and anxiety" (Gienapp 161). The president truly cared about the death toll and the outcome of the war, and the office did not have the luxury of PR people such as they have today that could shelter him from the public and coach him on how to cover up his reactions. He…
References
Gienapp, William E. Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America What was the most important thing you learned about Abraham Lincoln from reading "Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America"? Abraham Lincoln played an important role in bringing to an end the civil war and initiating the stoppage of slavery in the United States. After its inauguration in 1861, Lincoln was determined to unite the northern and the southern states, which were at loggerheads over slavery and
Robert E. Lee was also an important general responsible for commanding the Northern Virginia regiment of the confederate army. Lee was interesting in that even though he was a confederate commander he was believed be against slavery. Lincoln's beliefs about America are forever engrained on the national psyche. Speeches such as the Gettysburg Address are still quoted and reflects the intent of the founding fathers. The Gettysburg Address states, "Four
Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. From these humble beginnings the first born son of Thomas, an uneducated farmer, and Nancy Hanks, Lincoln would grow to become the 16th President of the United States. In 1997 William Riding Jr. And Stuart B. McIver asked a group of 719 professors, elected officials, historians, attorneys, authors and other professionals to rate the presidents.
Civil War represents a decisive period in American history, but also one of violence, during which more than 620,000 Americans died. (Gary B. Nash, Carter Smith, page 144) The American Civil War was fought between North and the South, and started as a result of their differences regarding slavery, state's rights and federal authority. The decisive moment was when Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the election, and become the president
In 1837, Lincoln took highly controversial position that foreshadowed his future political path. He joined with five other legislators out of eighty-three to oppose a resolution condemning abolitionists. In 1838, he responded to the death of the Illinois abolitionist and newspaper editor, Elijah Parish Lovejoy, who was killed while defending his printing presses from a mob of pro-slavery citizens in Alton, Illinois. In a statesmanlike manner, Lincoln gave a cautious
These were all matters that needed consideration and which attracted the support of the North. His Inaugural Address tried to point them out. In this sense, he considered that the "maintenance inviolate of the rights of the States, and especially the right of each State to order and control its own domestic institutions according to its own judgment exclusively, is essential to that balance of power on which the