美国总统15 林肯（1).docx

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1、美国总统15林肯（1）AbrahamLincoln:MartyrVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodayWearetalkingaboutAbrahamLincoln.AbrahamLincoln,1860Hewasthe16thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.ManyAmericansconsiderhimoneofcountrysgreatestleaders.YetpeoplealivewhenLincolnwaselectedin1860wouldprobablybesurprisedbymodern-d

2、ayopinionsabouthim.Hehadlittleformaleducationorgovernmentexperience.Duringthepresidentialcampaign,criticsmadefunofhisappearanceandhissimplewayoftalking.Theywarnedthathewasnotveryintelligentandwouldharmthenationsimage.Someofhisopponents-especiallyinSouthernstates-hadevenbiggerconcerns.TheywereafraidL

3、incolnwouldusethepowerofthefederalgovernmenttoendslaveryintheirstates.Theywereright.EarlylifeAbrahamLincolnwasborninthefrontierstateofKentucky.Hisfamilywasverypoorandhadasimplehome:alogcabin.1.incolnhadtosupporthisparentsandhissisterbyworking,soherarelywenttoschool.Instead,hetaughthimselfbyreadingbo

4、oks.Eventually,hebecamealawyerinthestateofIllinois.Asayoungman,Lincolnwasknownforseveralqualities.Hewastallandthin.Hewasverystrong-hisneighborsrememberedhimcuttingdowntrees.Andhewashonest.ThepeoplehedefendedincourtcalledhimHonestAbe.Intime,LincolnwaselectedtotheIllinoisGeneralAssembly,thestateslegis

5、lature.HealsoservedonetermasacongressmanintheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives.Buthewasnotpopularthere.VotersdidnotlikehisoppositiontothecountryswarwithMexico.SoLincolnwithdrewfrompoliticsandturnedhisattentiontohisfamily.HehadmarriedaSouthernbellenamedMaryToddin1842.Theyhadfoursons.Buttwodiedwhentheywereve

6、ryyoung.1.incolnalsodevelopedhislegalcareerrepresentingrailroadcompanies.Somepeoplethoughthemightbecomethebestrailroadlawyerinthecountry.Butthatisnotwhathappened.Electionof1860Inthe1850s,Lincolnreturnedtonationalpolitics.Thedivisionovertheissueofslaverywasdeepening.Lincolnwasnotananti-slaveryactivis

7、t,anabolitionist.Buthedidnotsupportthecountryspoliciesonslavery.1.incolnbelievedslaveryviolatedtheAmericanDeclarationofIndependence,whichsaidallmenhadtherighttolife,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.Tobeclear,LincolndidnotbelievethatblackpeopleshouldhavethesamerightsaswhiteU.S.citizens.Buthedidnotagre

8、ethatonepersonshouldownotherpeople,orprofitfromtheirworkwhiletheyearnednothingandwereheldcaptive.1.incolndecidedtocompeteinelectionsforaseatintheU.S.Senate.Hewaschosenasthecandidateofanew,anti-slaveryparty.MemberscalledthemselvesRepublicans.Duringtheelectioncampaign,Lincolnfamouslydiscussedtheissueo

9、fslaveryinaseriesofdebateswithStephenDouglas,theDemocraticPartyscandidate.1.incolnswordsmovedsomevoters.Buttheydidnotearnhimenoughvotestogetelected.So,whileDouglastooktheseatintheSenate,Lincolnpreparedtorunforpresident.Lincolnsaidthat,ifhewereelected,hewouldnotexpandslaverytonewterritoriesinthecount

10、ryswest.ButhepromisednottointerferewithslaveryintheSouthernstates,whereitalreadyexisted.VotersinSouthern,slave-holdingstatesdidnottrustLincoln.NotasingleSouthernstatesupportedhimintheelectionof1860.Buthewonanyway.Thesupportofanti-slaveryNorthernersgavehimthepresidency.Inanswer,sevenSouthernstateswit

11、hdrewfromtheUnion.Fourmorelaterjoinedthem.Thesestatesformedanewgovernment,calledtheConfederateStatesofAmerica-or,theConfederacy.Confederateofficialschosetheirownpresidentandwrotetheirownconstitution,whichpermittedeachstatecontroloveritsownlaws-especiallylawsthatprotectedslavery.Confederateofficialss

12、aidtheynolongerrecognizedthepoweroftheU.S.federalgovernment,oritschiefexecutive.Asthatchiefexecutive,Lincolnwouldhavetodecidewhattodo.CivilWarPresidentLincolnsfirsttestcamealittlemorethanamonthafterhewassworn-in.TheeventinvolvedFortSumterzafederalmilitarybaseonanislandoffthecoastofSouthCarolina.Sold

13、iersonthebaseneededfood.Lincolnsaidhewouldsendsomebyship.ButConfederateofficialsconsideredthefortpartofSouthCarolina,whichbelongedtotheConfederacy.TheydemandedthattheUnionsoldiersleavethefort.ButUnionforcesandtheU.S.presidentignoredtheConfederatesdemands.Aspromised,Lincolnsentthesupplyships.Asexpect

14、ed,Confederatesoldiersattacked.Adayandahalflater,thefortsUnionsoldierssurrendered.Theclashdidnotlastlong,andnoonewaskilledinthefighting.ButthebattleatFortSumtermarkedtheofficialbeginningofhostilitiesbetweentheUnionandtheConfederacy.1.incolnimmediatelytookactiontoanswerthelossofFortSumter.Hecalledons

15、tatemilitiasfortroopsandaskedforaspecialmeetingofCongress.ThepresidentwascarefulnottoaskCongresstomakeanofficialdeclarationofwar,inpartbecausehedidnotwanttorecognizetheConfederacyasaseparatenation.Instead,hecalledtheSouthernstatesoppositionarebellion.However,theconflictbetweentheSouthernConfederacya

16、ndtheNorthernUnionwasacivilwar.Neithersideexpectedthefightingtolastverylong-afewweeksormaybemonths.Instead,theCivilWarlastedfourandahalfyears.MostofthemajorbattlestookplacenearWashington,DCzinthestatesofMaryland,VirginiaandPennsylvania.SoldiersandciviliansalsoclashedinthewestzinTennessee,aswellasinthesouthernstatesofMississippi,SouthCarolina,andGeorgia.Butthewarinvolvedtheentirecountry.Atl