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Compare And Contrast Lincoln And Jefferson Davis

Decent Essays

In 1861, ideological divisions between the north and the south exploded dividing the county with the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln. The split led to the bloodiest war in American history with fatalities claiming approximately 2.385% of the total population (Wikipedia). Jefferson Davis became the President of the Confederation, while Abraham Lincoln continued to represent the United States. Both men are remembered as educated and knowledgeable at a time when many Americans lacked basic literacy. Although both presidents sought an education with early family encouragement, Jefferson Davis obtained his education through formal academic methods and Abraham Lincoln educated himself with independent reading. Both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln …show more content…

In fact, Lincoln himself used the word “defective” in the education category of a biographical questionnaire for Congressman (Hunt106). Lincoln believed that his formal schooling amounted to less than one year (Hunt107). Abraham Lincoln spent hours reading books, including Life of Washington, Dilworth’s Speller, and Blackstone’s Commentaries (Hunt107). He even took the time to enjoy The Revised Statutes of Indiana because the book included the Declaration of Independence and The United States Constitution (Hunt107). This book most likely impacted his decision to study law and later run for the presidency. Abraham Lincoln learned to write by scrawling sentences in dirt and snow (Hunt107). Before entering politics, he worked as a store clerk, business owner, and flatboat guide to make a living, but he never stopped learning. While traveling on the flatboats, Lincoln read books by firelight until past midnight but still woke up early ready for a day of work (Hunt). Lincoln’s odd behavior never went by unnoticed. People commented that Lincoln “slaved over the text and mastered it” (Hunt109). Lincoln eventually began to study to be law. He borrowed books from the Springfield Law Office, occasionally traveling a total of forty miles to retrieve them (Hunt110). Although Lincoln’s education was almost nonexistent, he sought education from the day he was born until the day he was shot in Ford

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