Out
of all the forty four presidents that have been elected, many of them have
gotten involved with wars or battles. From great wars like the American
Revolution to small battles with natives for territory, many presidents had
wars they needed to win. They all fought outsiders, but only one president was
in a war with America vs. itself; Abraham Lincoln. Despite Lincoln's exciting
life as president, he grew up and lived peacefully before he got into office.
In the words of Lincoln, this is how his young life was. "'I was born Feb. 12,
1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia... My
mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks.... My
father ... removed from Kentucky to ... Indiana.... It was a wild region, with
many bears and other wild animals... There I grew up.... Of course when I came
of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher..."
("Abraham Lincoln"). He grew up as a regular Kentucky boy at the time, but then
became president many years later. Any
great hero needs determination for what they are doing, perseverance for when
their goal becomes challenging and strenuous, and responsibility to carry out
what needs to be completed. Abraham Lincoln had perseverance, responsibility,
and determination to bring the south to justice to keep the United States
together as one nation.
Abraham
Lincoln was determined with his mind set on keeping the nation whole, same with
his other traits. He could have just let the states leave with their slavery to
form a new nation to themselves, but Lincoln knew he had to keep the nation as
one unit to keep the United States what it was when it was founded. In one of Lincoln's
letters for advice to young lawyers, he wrote; "Always bear in mind that your
own resolution to succeed, is more important than any other one thing" (Letter
to Isham Reavis). Always think about one's self to succeed. Lincoln
believes that this is the most important quality in order for good results.
Because without hope in your own cause, success is simply unrealistic. In
Lincoln's second inaugural address for his presidency, he states, "Both parties deprecated war; but
one of them would make war rather than let the nation
survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish" (Abraham
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address). Both the sides are at war, both
for different reasons. Lincoln is determined to keep the nation as one whole
and accepting war for that cause. He has his mind set on preserving the Union
with its current states at the time. He is obligated to keep the nation as it
was before his presidency, and is willing to do anything in his power to do so.
Without all of Lincoln's hard work and dedication to overcoming the
civil war, the north would have never won. Because of him believing in himself
and those to fight for his cause, we can appreciate all the fifty states in the
Union today.
Lincoln's
persistence, dedication, and responsibility is why our nation is standing with
all its original states as well as those that entered after the war. His
perseverance brought victories against the south, he continued to fight for his
cause even at times where the war had no end in sight. His responsibility to be
a leader and make wise decisions lead to the support of others to help fight
for Lincoln. Lastly, his determination to fight through all those years to
accomplish that victory and goal to keep the USA one nation ended by paying off
and ending in peace. He inspires myself and others through all the great things
he has done throughout the civil war. He had many times when there seemed to be
no hope in sight, he still came through and overcame this milestone in history.
Lincoln also proves that someone doesn't need to be from a prosperous or
wealthy family to achieve great things. When the civil war first began, many
people were outrageous with Lincoln's decision and were not supportive of his
cause. But Lincoln didn't need the support of the bystanders of the war, all he
needed was hope. This goes to say that heroes don't always start with support
from others, but earn that support with their integrity and responsibility. It
inspires others to stand up for what they believe in even if it starts out with
just themselves for their cause, to carry out justice and make the world a
better place.
Works Cited
"Abraham Lincoln's Annual Message to
Congress -- Concluding Remarks."Abraham Lincoln's Annual Message to
Congress -- Concluding Remarks. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014.
"Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural
Address." Abraham
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.
FreidFreidel, Frank. "Abraham Lincoln." The White House. The White
House, 2006. Web. 02 May 2014.
"Letter to Isham Reavis." Letter to
Isham Reavis. 5 Nov. 1855. Abraham
Lincoln's Advice to Lawyers. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2014.
Lincoln, Abraham. Letter to Cuthbert Bullitt.
28 July 1862. MS. N.p
Abraham
Lincoln has shown perseverance through all the trials of his life. His whole experience in law included failure
after failure from local positions of law to senator of the state. Once
President, all the processes of perseverance after failure came into play by
building up to the challenges with the civil war. In Lincoln's speech to
congress on Dec 1, he explained, "The dogmas of the quiet past,
are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with
difficulty, and we must rise... As our case is new, so we must think anew, and
act anew. and then we shall save our country" (Message to Congress Dec,
1). Lincoln's is talking about the time of the civil war and what they have to
do to handle their current problem. He is telling them to come up with their
new ideas on how to win with their causes, to keep the nation together. They
need his and others to think of solutions to ultimately save the country. In one of Lincoln's
letters for advice to young lawyers, he states, "I shall not do more than I can, and I shall do all I can to save the government, which is
my sworn duty as well as my personal inclination. I shall do nothing in malice"
(Letter to Cuthbert Billitt). President Lincoln wants the best, but what is necessary for the
U.S.A. He will do everything in his
authority to be a leader and try to do it as peacefully as he can. There were
rules about states to enter the Union, but no rules about seceding. President
Lincoln found that as an error of the law and illegal and did everything he
could to keep the southern states together with the rest. The
characteristic of perseverance in the president helped keep this nation alive. The
civil war carried out for years and no one knew if the South would surrender
until the day they did. With as many hardships with failure as Lincoln, he
played a role most people couldn't do. His persistence and perseverance was
unconditional for his cause to make him win and conquer the south's secession.
Lincoln
never ran away from the problem at hand, but he accepted the problem of the
nation and knew he had to fix it. He took his position as a leader for these
times and took that role with responsibility, to save the USA from crumbling
apart. In Lincoln's speech to congress on Dec 1, he stated, "Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this
Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No
personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The
fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down. to the latest generation"
(Message to Congress Dec 1). Lincoln is stating to the congress to continue to
think about what needs to be done. What one's personal wants and complaints
won't matter when all is done and complete. The task at hand needs to be taken
responsibly, because running away from one's problems never solves the problem.
He explains how the congress helping him will not just benefit him, but all
future generations. In Lincoln's second inaugural address, he announced
to the audience: "With malice toward none; with
charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right,
let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's
wounds..." (Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address). He is taking
the responsibility as president to finish and end the war, then keep the peace
for later years in post-war times. He is convinced at this time that the war
will soon end and all will be well, but is also saying that they should strive
to maintain peace and bring back the peacefulness of the United States. His
confidence, talent with public speaking, and his mind of responsibility gave
the citizens of this nation faith in him to conquer and overcome the south's
wishes. The citizens also gained a sense of hope in that they could fight and
win. Without Lincoln's responsible actions, the southern states would be nonexistent
in the United States, and established in their own Union.
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Last edited 5/22/2014 12:00:00 AM