As if it is not obvious yet, I am a Lincolnite. In my opinion he is one of the most courageous figures in history. He stood his ground and did what was right, not what was popular.
A characteristic that is lacking in politicians today–although, I think every generation believes that about their own.
I found a really cool site for you to check out. It is fun facts about Abraham Lincoln.
http://www.honest-abe.com/abefaq.htm
Little people know that Abe was a self made man. According to the American government archive sites Mr. Lincoln grew up without a formal education in rural Kentucky. http://sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/alincoln.html His mother died when Abe was young, but his father soon remarried. Her name was Sarah Busch Johnston. She was a mother of three, but favored Abe over all of them. She encouraged him to educate himself, and to read as much as he could. His favorites became Aesop’s fables, and the Bible.
Once he got his hands on books the rest is history. According to the same government archive site, he did not want to spend his life farming like his father did. He wanted to be a lawyer. When he wanted to know law to take the B.A.R. exam he went to the library, and checked out as many books as he could on the matter. He passed quickly, and began his life in Springfield, Illinois.
I guess these characteristics are what has always had intrigued me about him. I love when people make their fame through hard work and dedication. My most favorite fact is that when his inauguration day came in 1861 and none of the Southern states showed up and he knew there would be a war he went straight to the library. He knew nothing about war, so he wanted to read up on it as much as he could. Amazing!
