Abraham Lincoln

An outstanding person who is looked up to, or a hero, has some qualities that I think are important. One of them is common courtesy, which is being nice about little things. Things like holding the door for someone, or saying “please” and “thank you”. A lot of common courtesy is good manners, as you might have guessed. High self-esteem is another character trait I think is essential for a hero to have. If a hero doesn’t think well of himself, they might not have the courage to do what is right and accomplish great things. Courage is important for a hero, so that they are not afraid to stand for what is right, even when people around them are doing wrong. A hero can admit that they did wrong, and can tell the truth whenever asked, which is called honesty. Trying again and again is something a hero shouldn't hesitate to do, or persevere. These are among the many character traits that are good for a good role model and hero to have.

Abraham Lincoln is my hero that I chose to write about. He is the type of hero that was a leader. On February 12, 1809, he was born in a log cabin in Kentucky. When he was only ten years old, his mother died two years after Abraham Lincoln’s father left for Indiana. Young Abe Lincoln earned the nickname “Honest Abe” in his community. Abe grew up in Indiana, a place known for being full of wildlife and forests. By the time he was a young adult, all he could do was read, write, and do arithmatic. Some of his first jobs included being a storekeeper, spitting rails for fences, and working on the farm. Later, he was a captain in the Black Hawk War, spent eight years in the Illinois law-making body, and worked in the courts for a long period of time. Mary Todd became his wife, and they had four boys. Only one of them survived to live through adolescense. In 1858, he ran againist Stephen Douglass for Senator. Even though he lost, he won a good reputation when he debated. He was nominated for President in 1860 by the Republican Party. The Emancipation Proclamation that declared that all slaves would be freed, was issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. He gave moving speeches throughout his presidency, including the Gettysburg Address. His re-election occured in 1864, right after the North won the Civil War. At the Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C., he was assasinated by John Wilkes Booth, an actor. It was on April 15, 1850, also known as Good Friday.

Abraham Lincoln is someone I look up to, and is my hero because he displayed all of the qualities I think a hero should have in his life. He always was a nice person, and he was impatient or inconsiderate to anyone he met, which exploited his common courtesy. He had high self-esteem, which showed when he stood up for what he believed in, when he thought about everyone in his country while making decisions, and when he never tried to leave anyone out. Abraham Lincoln was courageous when he freed the slaves, even though some people threatened to kill him. Mr. Lincoln knew that slavery was wrong, and that he had to abolish it, even if it meant he was in danger. He was always honest, and people remembered him for that. His conscience was loud and clear, which helped him make the right decisions. Abe Lincoln never gave up doing the right thing, or working towards his goals. That is an example of perseverance in his life. Qualities that are important for a hero to have are common in Abraham Lincoln’s life.