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Abraham Lincoln : An Influential President

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Abraham Lincoln: An Influential President When you hear the name Abraham Lincoln, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you think of a tall, slender man with an enormous top hat? Do you think of his devotion to the abolition of slavery? Abraham Lincoln contributed to more than one can imagine. He was the president of the United States during a time of colossal distress, the Civil War, and he paved the way for a great number of changes. Abraham Lincoln was a powerful figure who benefitted society by preventing the United States from splitting into two countries permanently, winning freedom for African-American slaves, and by setting a spectacular example for future presidents. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, underwent countless complications in his life which prepared him to become the leader of the United States. To start, “Thomas Lincoln [Abraham Lincoln’s father] had practically no education and could barely write his name. His first wife Nancy Hanks Lincoln…could not write her name at all” (Wilson). Lincoln grew up in an extremely uncultivated lifestyle, so with the help of library books, he gave himself an education. After decades had past and Lincoln was finally knowledgeable, he “made an unsuccessful run for the Illinois legislature as an anti-Jackson whig…” (Wilson). Although Lincoln failed in his first election, the loss prepared him for future state legislature elections. Lincoln then proceeded to win a seat

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