Abraham Lincoln: One of the greatest changemaker in History

Essay by VolcomStudJunior High, 8th gradeA-, February 2004

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One of the best-known change makers in mostly the history of the U.S. and all over the world. His most remember work is his bravery of fighting a war for freeing the slaves in the U.S.

Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Hardin (now Larue) County, Ky. Indians had killed his grandfather, Lincoln wrote, "when he was laboring to open a farm in the forest" in 1786; this tragedy left his father, Thomas Lincoln, "a wandering laboring boy" who "grew up, literally without education." Thomas, nevertheless, became a skilled carpenter and purchased three farms in Kentucky before the Lincolns left the state. Little is known about Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Abraham had an older sister, Sarah, and a younger brother, Thomas, who died in infancy.

Then Abe got into the political ring and later became president. A lot of people didn't like his political views of slaves and democrats accused him of being a tyrant.

But really he was furthest from being a tyrant because he was giving civil liberties to all. Lincoln came to believe, the commander in chief could abolish slavery as a military necessity. The preliminary Emancipation Proclamation of Sept. 22, 1862, bore this military justification, as did all of Lincoln's racial measures, including especially his decision in the final proclamation of Jan. 1, 1863, to accept blacks in the army. By 1864, Democrats and Republicans differed clearly in their platforms on the race issue: Lincoln's endorsed the 13TH Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery, whereas McClellan's pledged to return to the South the rights it had had in 1860. So this started the civil war. The civil war was won by north or the anti-slavery people. Abe was later shot at Ford's Theatre by John Booth.

Lincoln's achievements--saving the Union and freeing the slaves--and his martyrdom just at the war's end assured his continuing fame. So he was a great change maker.