Patriotic Essay winners announced
What did President Lincoln do for my family?
Young participants in this year's Patriotic Essay Contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree, Bishop Kelly Assembly 185, were asked to answer that question in the form of an essay.
1st place
Jocie Osika
7th Grade - Mr. Traverse
Woodland Middle School
Abraham Lincoln was an amazing man, no doubt. But what if we looked at his content, his true character, in addition to his accomplishments? When I sliced open Abraham Lincoln’s life, I uncovered what I wouldn’t have guessed. Everyone knows that the United States of America’s 16th president was inspirational in one way or another, but Lincoln’s morals have shaped my family forever.
One thing Lincoln taught my family and me was that you can go from nothing to everything. He rose from the ashes of his old life to become one of the most respected presidents ever. In the process of earning what he wanted, he failed countless times, but he learned that you should never give up.
In 1809, the newest Lincoln was born to a respectful family, but by the time he was 7, the future president and his whole family were uprooted from home. The young boy worked any job he could hold to support his family. Then, at age 9, Lincoln suffered the death of his mother, and then in 1831, as a young adult, lost his job. By 1832, Lincoln ran for state legislature and placed 8th of 13. The very same year, he lost another job and was rejected from law school. A year after rejection, Lincoln and a friend’s attempted business went bankrupt. At about age 25, he finally won a seat in the state legislature. His supposed fiancee, Ann Rutledge’s, death caused a half-year breakdown the next year. In the next 25 years, Lincoln suffered many more failures and few successes. Finally, he was rewarded for his perseverance by being elected to be president twice, proving to my family that you can do whatever you wish.
Next, Lincoln showed that someone always thinks you’re making mistakes, and that you can work extra hard to win them over. He demonstrated this to my family and the world through a few actions that could be seen through a negative eye. Among these decisions was 1861’s signing of the Revenue Act, creating the first income taxes. Many people were upset, but where would we be without it? Also, Lincoln took many people’s slaves away in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation. Anyone in the 10 rebelling states who relied on slaves was outraged throughout the Civil War. I believe that without these two mind-blowing actions, America could be in ruins.
Finally, Mr. Lincoln showed us that power can be dangerous. The perfect showcase of this is his assassination. Although Abraham was a great man, his second term was put to a stop in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth. The original plan had been to kidnap the president, but he was killed all the same. They figured it was the perfect way to get what you want.
Obviously, Abraham Lincoln was an amazing man, and anyone could take pointers from him. The few that my family chose to follow are to never give in, to work your hardest, always be honest, and handle power carefully.
2nd place
Macy DuCoeur
8th Grade - Mrs. Palmer
Lakes Magnet Middle School
“Our reliance is in the love of liberty which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere.”
- Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln believed in freedom for all people, but this came at a cost. His belief in freedom still affects my family today, even after 150 years. Because of Abraham Lincoln’s actions to protect freedom, my aunt adopted my cousin, my great-grandma met my great-grandpa, and my dad got to go to University of Idaho.
Abraham Lincoln said, “I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.” Lincoln felt that if the Declaration of Independence states that all people should have the right to freedom, the then African slaves had that right as well. Through the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln declared all slaves free. This was a bold move for his day. If Lincoln hadn’t made that strong of a move, my aunt and uncle might not have adopted my 5-year-old cousin, who is half Ethiopian and half Indian. We probably wouldn’t be as far along in equal rights for blacks and whites.
While Lincoln was in office, he had a great challenge in preserving the Union. His determination kept our country together as one. If the North was a separate country from the South, my great-grandmother, Juanita, wouldn’t have had the freedom to move from Kentucky to Washington, D.C. in search of a job. My grandpa, a colonel in the Air Force, wouldn’t have met and married her. My grandma, my mom and I wouldn’t be here. Keeping the Union together gave us more freedom, more resources, and more power as a country.
President Abraham Lincoln and the Congress of 1862 passed the Morrill Act. The Morrill Act was passed because Lincoln felt that every child or citizen should be educated. Because of that Act, territorial leaders started the University of Idaho in 1889 with a land grant. At the beginning of his career Lincoln said, “Every man may receive, at least, a moderate education . . . by which he may duly appreciate the value of our free institutions.” My dad went to the University of Idaho and is now a second-grade teacher in an elementary school in Coeur d’Alene. Lincoln and Congress provided the beginnings of a great education from the University of Idaho for my dad and I am thankful for that.
I believe that if Abraham Lincoln hadn’t been as brave as he was, fighting against slavery, keeping our country as one, and providing for the future education of our citizens, my family would be very different today. His courage, compassion, and perseverance set a precedent for many of the great leaders who followed him.
3rd place
Faith Barry
7th grade - Chris Bain, Carol Jarvelin
Woodland Middle School
Abraham Lincoln was a very wise man. He helped our nation in many different ways. He did not help me directly, but he sure did help Roba and Juda Lawhead. Roba and Juda are Lisa and Casey Lawhead’s two sons. Lisa and Casey adopted them from Ethiopia in 2009. It would pain me to see them working for some white folk because the white ones aren’t considerate enough to pass a bill saying that all people are equal. I would like to thank Mister Abraham Lincoln for his help with the Civil Rights movement with his Emancipation Proclamation.
During mid-1862, Abraham Lincoln convinced himself that he was ready for a change in the policy towards slavery. Several of the foreign governments might have sympathized with the South, but they all condemned slavery as evil, and thus didn’t support the Confederacy. One of the only freedoms slaves had was serving as Union soldiers. Even though many Northerners had been unconcerned about slavery, they now believed that slavery needed to be stamped out. Lincoln decided to publish a proclamation. He didn’t want to seek the advice of his Cabinet, but he did tell them his plans. Due to Seward’s advice though, he decided to withhold the proclamation until a Northern victory made helpful conditions.
Very soon, the Battle of Antietam was fought. The battle was fought on Sept. 17, 1862. Abraham decided to issue a proclamation five days after the battle. He stated that all slaves in states, or parts of states, that were in rebellion on Jan. 1, 1863, would hereby be free. He issued the final proclamation January 1. Lincoln named the states, and parts of states, that were in rebellion, and declared that the slaves there “are, and hence-forward shall be, free.” Actually, the proclamation freed no slaves. The proclamation applied only to Confederate territory, where federal officers could not enforce it. The proclamation didn’t affect slavery in the loyal border states, either. Even though again and again Lincoln tried to convince those states to free their slaves and pay their owners for their loss, they refused. He even promised these states financial help from the government for this purpose.
When the states didn’t follow his advice, he was very disappointed. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation had no short-term effect, it had a great long-term one. To other nations, it added a new character to the war. In the Northern area, it paved the way for Amendment 13 to the Constitution. This Amendment ended slavery in all parts of the U.S.
Slavery in the U.S. has been ended, good and for all. Thanks, Abe. I’m glad you helped because my very own honest opinion is we are all black with the lights off.