What Lincoln's death meant to the South
Lincoln had earned the respect of the South, for he was a leader great enough to be generous in victory. He might have checked the misrule which nearly ruined the industries of the South, and created more lasting bitterness than the war. The South suffered as great a loss as the North in the death of Lincoln.
SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL
The Leading Facts. 1. Lincoln, born of poor parents in the state of Kentucky, went over to Indiana at seven years of age. 2. Helped build a cabin and clear the forest and went hunting. 3. Lincoln lost his mother, and his father married again. 4. His stepmother took good care of Abe and his young sister. 5. Lincoln had little schooling, but read a few books thoroughly. 6. He was physically strong at twenty-one, and he had read so much that he could "spell down" the whole country. 7. The family moved to Illinois, and Abe was hired to take a flatboat down the Mississippi. 8. He saw a slave auction at New Orleans. 9. Lincoln was elected captain in the Black Hawk War; elected to the legislature for four terms. 10. He studied law and was elected to Congress. 11. Attacked Douglas for the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. 12. Lincoln and Douglas held joint debates. 13. Nominated for the presidency by the Republicans in convention at Chicago. 14. Douglas displeased the South and the Democratic party was split. 15. Lincoln was elected president, the South seceded, and Douglas stood by the Union. 16. The battle between the Merrimac and the Monitor ushered in the age of the ironclad war vessel. 17. Grant defeated Lee, and Lee surrendered. 18. Lincoln went to the Ford Theater in Washington, and was assassinated. 19. Johnson started to carry out Lincoln's plans for reconstruction, but Congress interfered, and tried to impeach him. 20. Johnson caused the French to withdraw from Mexico, and bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7,200,000. 21. The South was slow in recovering from the effects of the war.
Study Questions. 1. Describe Lincoln's early surroundings. 2. Picture Abe and his sister. 3. How did Abe help get their meat? 4. What did he owe to his mother? 5. What did Abe's new mother do for him? 6. What books did Abe read and how did he read them? 7. Why was Abe liked in the family? 8. How tall was Lincoln? How old was he when the family started for Illinois? 9. What did he do soon after going to Illinois? 10. What did he see in New Orleans that was new to him? 11. Prove Lincoln was honest. 12. Prove that the men of the countryside had confidence in Lincoln. 13. How old was Lincoln when he ran for the legislature? 14. Tell the story of Lincoln's experiences in running for the legislature. 15. What was his success as a lawyer? 16. Why did Lincoln love public speaking? 17. Why was Lincoln not elected to Congress again? 18. How did Lincoln become the champion speaker against Douglas? 19. What was the effect of the debate? 20. What new declaration did Lincoln make in his Springfield speech? 21. Why did Lincoln challenge Douglas? 22. How did Lincoln become widely known? 23. What was the fatal question put to Douglas by Lincoln? 24. To what rights did Lincoln say the black man is entitled? 25. Picture the scene in the state convention of 1860. 26. What was the effect of the Lincoln-Douglas debates on the Democratic party? 27. Why did this result in Lincoln's election to the presidency? 28. Give an account of the demonstrations made in honor of Lincoln. 29. Who fired the first shot in the Civil War, and where was it fired? 30. How many slave states in all remained loyal to the Union cause? 31. What kind of a war did Lincoln make of this war? 32. Tell the story of the Merrimac and the Monitor. 33. How was the Merrimac protected? 34. How did the Proclamation of Emancipation affect the strength of the Confederates? 35. Describe the surrender of Lee. 36. Tell the story of Lincoln's assassination. 37. How did the nation feel over Lincoln's death? 38. How has he been honored? 39. Describe the statue in Edinburgh. 40. Where was Lincoln buried? 41. What was Lincoln's plan of reconstruction? 42. What happened when Johnson tried to carry this out? 43. Name two matters in which Johnson acted wisely.
Suggested Readings. Abraham Lincoln: Baldwin, Four Great Americans, 187-246; McMurry, Pioneers of the Mississippi Valley, 170-184; Wright, Children's Stories of American Progress, 159-178, 299-327; Brooks, Century Book of Famous Americans, 193-210; Hart and Stevens, Romance of the Civil War, 1-112; Bolton, Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous, 342-367; Mabie, Heroes Every Child Should Know, 309-319; Nicolay, Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln; Coffin, Abraham Lincoln; Mace, Lincoln: The Man of the People; Hale, Stories of War; Southworth, Builders of Our Country, Vol. II, 186-217.
Andrew Johnson: Sparks, Expansion of the American People, 433-438; Guerber, Story of the Great Republic, 252-256.