“It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.” – Abraham Lincoln Quotes
Introduction
Born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky was the 16th president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, who led the country through the Civil War.
Viewed by most as the best president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln has lived a simple life in his early years. He was born to a Kentucky frontiersman father, Thomas Lincoln, and mother Nancy Lincoln. His mother died when he was ten years old, while his father was removed from Kentucky to Indiana. Growing up in the woods, the young Abraham Lincoln learned how to write, read, and cipher by himself. While he has attended classes from itinerant teachers, he was primarily self-educated and had a huge love for books.
He served as a captain during the Black Hawk War before he won a seat at the Illinois state legislature under the Whig party. Aside from serving four successive terms as representative in Illinois House of Representatives, Lincoln also practiced law after he was successfully admitted to the bar in 1836.
It was in 1837 when Abraham Lincoln first publicized his anti-slavery and abolitionist views saying “The Institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy, but the promulgation of abolition doctrines tends rather increase than abate its evils.”
From serving as a Whig representative in Illinois, he acquired a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lincoln has voiced out his opposition to the American war with Mexico. He challenged then-US President James Polk to show the spot where the alleged slaughter of Americans by Mexican soldiers took place. Polk claimed that Mexicans killed American citizens in their own soil.
Abraham Lincoln eventually left the Whig Party and moved to the Republican Party. And in 1858, he ran against Stephen Douglas for senator but lost. However, his performance in a series of debates against Douglas made him a contender in the presidential election in 1860. On November 6 that same year, Abraham Lincoln has proclaimed the 16th U.S. President and the first from the Republican Party.
Lincoln has maintained his position opposing slavery. Because of this several states adopted secession and called themselves as Confederate States of America. A war then broke between the Union and the Confederates. Lincoln assembled three million northern men to fight for the Union against the two million members of the southern army.
In 1863, through the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves within the Confederacy were freed, which marked the commencement of the death of slavery. The next year, Lincoln was re-elected as US president.
During his Gettysburg address, one of the great orations in America, he said: “That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain–that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom–and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Abraham Lincoln’s death came when actor John Wilkes Booth assassinated the president on April 14, 1865, inside Ford’s Theatre. Lincoln was married to Mary Todd Lincoln and had four children.
The Life of Abraham Lincoln (Video)
Important Life Lessons from Abraham Lincoln
If you ever feel like you will never taste success because of poverty, then you should brush those thoughts off your mind. It’s time you learn from an inspiring personality, the great Abraham Lincoln. Most people from all over the world knows about Abraham Lincoln to be one of the Presidents of the United States. However, there are a lot of things that are not known about him, especially the life lessons that individuals can learn from his legacies.
Abraham Lincoln is a simple man born from Kentucky. He worked hard as he grew and made sure he had a decent education from his industriousness. As he went on, he has achieved his goals and actually succeeded in becoming a highly inspirational individual. Being the 16th president of the United States is never an easy path, but with his principles, he has won the hearts of the people and led them with conviction.
Over the years, the Great Abe has inspired generations and generations from all walks of life. One of the best legacies of Abraham Lincoln was his fight to end slavery. To this date, populations still learn a lot from his greatness. In fact, here are must-know life lessons that even modern civilizations can learn from him.
Prepare for Success
Success is never instant. Through Abraham Lincoln, we learn that Life is a process and you need to work to achieve your goals. He said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the ax.” Through his words, he wants people to understand that preparedness is an important thing. Many people of the present generation want to get thing in their hands in an instant. As a result, their successes are half-baked, which do not last long.
Learn to Hustle
Preparation for success takes time, but along with the right attitude to hustle, the preparation time will be shortened. Abraham Lincoln once said that things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. Of course, it would be good to take a stroll and look into the beauty of the world, but it would be best to hustle, move quickly and gain momentum to reach success. Do what can be done at the moment and taste your success. In short, you have to be persistent with your goals.
Greatness is Not Impossible
A lot of individuals are so hard on their selves that they even lose their self-esteem. What Abraham Lincoln teaches the populace is to lift their spirits up. No matter how small you are, it is not impossible for you to experience greatness. If others can do it, so can you. The Great Abe has inspired millions with his words saying, “That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.” Never underestimate your own power to succeed. Trust in yourself and work your way up to reach your dreams.
Be Highly Reputable
The Great Abraham Lincoln teaches people to keep a good reputation and be valued by it. He said that reputation is like fine china; once broken, it’s very hard to repair. This only tells generations that it is important to become worthy of a good reputation. Honor and excellence are better to keep than a choice of precious stones. Abraham Lincoln has lived and served the people of the United States with integrity. He also liked for his people to be more honest, humble and disciplined in whatever they do.
Always Value Optimism
Among the many traits that The Great Abe has shown to humanity is his optimism. He always believed in looking at the brighter side of life. He once said that we can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because the bushes have roses. This only tells us that life is a choice. You can choose to be happy or choose to be miserable. If you are more inclined to look for something to complain about, chances are, you are going to meet problems. However, if you choose to look into the brighter side and find more positive opportunities, then you are more likely to succeed.
Keep friends Close and the Enemies Closer
In one of his conversations with his colleagues, Abraham Lincoln said referring to a person: “I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.” To most people around the globe, when they don’t like somebody, they tend to keep their distance from that personality, as much as possible. However, this is not the case with Abraham Lincoln. As a matter of fact, when he was still in the position, he has appointed and placed his rivals into particular positions in the government and worked closely with them. In this way, it would be easier to peek into their plans and the patterns of their work.
Books on Abraham Lincoln
Team of Rivals – The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln – A Book of Quotations (Dover Thrift Editions)
A. Lincoln – A Biography
Sculptures of former U.S. presidents (from left to right) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln – Mount Rushmore National Park
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Abraham Lincoln Memorial in the Evening – Washington DC, United States