美国总统15 林肯（1).docx

美国总统15林肯（1）AbrahamLincoln:MartyrVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodayWearetalkingaboutAbrahamLincoln.AbrahamLincoln,1860Hewasthe16thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.ManyAmericansconsiderhimoneofcountry'sgreatestleaders.YetpeoplealivewhenLincolnwaselectedin1860wouldprobablybesurprisedbymodern-dayopinionsabouthim.Hehadlittleformaleducationorgovernmentexperience.Duringthepresidentialcampaign,criticsmadefunofhisappearanceandhissimplewayoftalking.Theywarnedthathewasnotveryintelligentandwouldharmthenation'simage.Someofhisopponents-especiallyinSouthernstates-hadevenbiggerconcerns.TheywereafraidLincolnwouldusethepowerofthefederalgovernmenttoendslaveryintheirstates.Theywereright.EarlylifeAbrahamLincolnwasborninthefrontierstateofKentucky.Hisfamilywasverypoorandhadasimplehome:alogcabin.1.incolnhadtosupporthisparentsandhissisterbyworking,soherarelywenttoschool.Instead,hetaughthimselfbyreadingbooks.Eventually,hebecamealawyerinthestateofIllinois.Asayoungman,Lincolnwasknownforseveralqualities.Hewastallandthin.Hewasverystrong-hisneighborsrememberedhimcuttingdowntrees.Andhewashonest.Thepeoplehedefendedincourtcalledhim"HonestAbe."Intime,LincolnwaselectedtotheIllinoisGeneralAssembly,thestate'slegislature.HealsoservedonetermasacongressmanintheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives.Buthewasnotpopularthere.Votersdidnotlikehisoppositiontothecountry'swarwithMexico.SoLincolnwithdrewfrompoliticsandturnedhisattentiontohisfamily.HehadmarriedaSouthernbellenamedMaryToddin1842.Theyhadfoursons.Buttwodiedwhentheywereveryyoung.1.incolnalsodevelopedhislegalcareerrepresentingrailroadcompanies.Somepeoplethoughthemightbecomethebestrailroadlawyerinthecountry.Butthatisnotwhathappened.Electionof1860Inthe1850s,Lincolnreturnedtonationalpolitics.Thedivisionovertheissueofslaverywasdeepening.Lincolnwasnotananti-slaveryactivist,anabolitionist.Buthedidnotsupportthecountry'spoliciesonslavery.1.incolnbelievedslaveryviolatedtheAmericanDeclarationofIndependence,whichsaidallmenhadtherighttolife,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.Tobeclear,LincolndidnotbelievethatblackpeopleshouldhavethesamerightsaswhiteU.S.citizens.Buthedidnotagreethatonepersonshouldownotherpeople,orprofitfromtheirworkwhiletheyearnednothingandwereheldcaptive.1.incolndecidedtocompeteinelectionsforaseatintheU.S.Senate.Hewaschosenasthecandidateofanew,anti-slaveryparty.MemberscalledthemselvesRepublicans.Duringtheelectioncampaign,LincolnfamouslydiscussedtheissueofslaveryinaseriesofdebateswithStephenDouglas,theDemocraticParty'scandidate.1.incoln'swordsmovedsomevoters.Buttheydidnotearnhimenoughvotestogetelected.So,whileDouglastooktheseatintheSenate,Lincolnpreparedtorunforpresident.Lincolnsaidthat,ifhewereelected,hewouldnotexpandslaverytonewterritoriesinthecountry'swest.ButhepromisednottointerferewithslaveryintheSouthernstates,whereitalreadyexisted.VotersinSouthern,slave-holdingstatesdidnottrustLincoln.NotasingleSouthernstatesupportedhimintheelectionof1860.Buthewonanyway.Thesupportofanti-slaveryNorthernersgavehimthepresidency.Inanswer,sevenSouthernstateswithdrewfromtheUnion.Fourmorelaterjoinedthem.Thesestatesformedanewgovernment,calledtheConfederateStatesofAmerica-or,theConfederacy.Confederateofficialschosetheirownpresidentandwrotetheirownconstitution,whichpermittedeachstatecontroloveritsownlaws-especiallylawsthatprotectedslavery.ConfederateofficialssaidtheynolongerrecognizedthepoweroftheU.S.federalgovernment,oritschiefexecutive.Asthatchiefexecutive,Lincolnwouldhavetodecidewhattodo.CivilWarPresidentLincoln'sfirsttestcamealittlemorethanamonthafterhewassworn-in.TheeventinvolvedFortSumterzafederalmilitarybaseonanislandoffthecoastofSouthCarolina.Soldiersonthebaseneededfood.Lincolnsaidhewouldsendsomebyship.ButConfederateofficialsconsideredthefortpartofSouthCarolina,whichbelongedtotheConfederacy.TheydemandedthattheUnionsoldiersleavethefort.ButUnionforcesandtheU.S.presidentignoredtheConfederates'demands.Aspromised,Lincolnsentthesupplyships.Asexpected,Confederatesoldiersattacked.Adayandahalflater,thefort'sUnionsoldierssurrendered.Theclashdidnotlastlong,andnoonewaskilledinthefighting.ButthebattleatFortSumtermarkedtheofficialbeginningofhostilitiesbetweentheUnionandtheConfederacy.1.incolnimmediatelytookactiontoanswerthelossofFortSumter.HecalledonstatemilitiasfortroopsandaskedforaspecialmeetingofCongress.ThepresidentwascarefulnottoaskCongresstomakeanofficialdeclarationofwar,inpartbecausehedidnotwanttorecognizetheConfederacyasaseparatenation.Instead,hecalledtheSouthernstates'oppositionarebellion.However,theconflictbetweentheSouthernConfederacyandtheNorthernUnionwasacivilwar.Neithersideexpectedthefightingtolastverylong-afewweeksormaybemonths.Instead,theCivilWarlastedfourandahalfyears.MostofthemajorbattlestookplacenearWashington,DCzinthestatesofMaryland,VirginiaandPennsylvania.SoldiersandciviliansalsoclashedinthewestzinTennessee,aswellasinthesouthernstatesofMississippi,SouthCarolina,andGeorgia.Butthewarinvolvedtheentirecountry.Atl