Brashear W Sumey
Early Pa and US History
Professor Kopper
12/14/16
Lincoln DB Activity Six
Abe Lincoln was from Illinois, 52 when elected president. When he took office, the south
lost a major ally in Washington. The election of 1860 secured freedom for those in the chains of
slavery, but much blood was shed to get to this point. When he won the election, South Carolina
succeeded from the union; this action would continue when six other states left the union as well.
There were also eight states that were considered “border states”. But with all this, Lincoln was
an American icon. But, he was also known as the father of the 2nd revolution. He spent two terms
in office, from 1861 to 1865; this time in office took a heavy toll on him physically and mentally.
He had three kids, his wife’s name was Mary, he was the common man’s president. He had a
good sense of humor, liked to be photographed, and was a decisive manager. But he was also a
very complex person, and would obsess over details and decisions in his presidency. He was
raised in poverty, and did not go to college. One of his nicknames was “rail splitter”. Once in
office, he surrounded his self with intellectual equals. (Those in his cabinet) Some of his goals
for his presidency were to restore our country to how the founding fathers envisioned it, and to
abolish slavery. Getting rid of slavery was by far what he wanted most, though. He did not want
slavery expanding westward, he wanted to somehow contain it, then it would destroy itself from
within. The south when it split from the union, elected its own president, Jefferson Davis.
Davis’s men basically started the Civil War when they would not let food and supplies into Fort
Sumter. This was around April 12, 1861.
War define his presidency more than anything else. The flag from Fort Sumter that flew
during this first skirmish went to New York City, to rally the north. The war had begun; with
both sides winning battles, the union was doing well in the west, but the confederacy was gaining
ground in the south and east. Robert E Lee led his army North to Gettysburg, the three days of
fighting that ensued were some of the worst seen since the beginning of the Civil War. After the
smoke cleared, Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address. Also around this time was the election of
1864, Lincoln was running against George B McClelland. Lincoln won another term as
president. In his inaugural address, his said,” malice toward none, charity for all”. Then on April
9, 1865, Robert E Lee surrenders to Grant, ending the Civil War. Among the accomplishments of
Lincoln’s time in office, were blacks getting the right to vote. Lincoln’s life was taken on April
14, 1865 by a gunman. I think he did a great thing getting rid of slavery, it needed to go, and he
had the guts to do something about that scar on our nation.