I would choose Abraham Lincoln. by Thomas

I would choose Abraham Lincoln. by Thomas - February 2016 Scholarship Essay

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would you choose? Why?

I would choose Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln was a Gentle Giant, whom I admire and would love to have had an opportunity to have talked with him.

The challenges he faced were far more than I can even imagine, and his perseverance and leadership is to be greatly admired.

He had a tough life, but a life well lived.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States of America, the leader who successfully prosecuted the Civil War to preserve the nation. He played a key role in passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which ended slavery in America. As the war was ending, Lincoln became the first U.S. president to be assassinated. Prior to his election as president in 1860, he had successful careers as a lawyer and politician in Illinois, serving several terms in the state legislature and one in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also holds the distinction of being the only U.S. president to receive a patent; in 1849, he designed a system for lifting riverboats off sandbars.

Great Quotes from Abraham Lincoln:

“In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”

“My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.”

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”