Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of the United States’ 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln is perhaps the most famous president in US history, and certainly someone who has received an extraordinary amount of attention. One person estimated that there have been more than 17,000 books written about Lincoln, more than about almost any leader in world history.
Why is Lincoln so popular, especially today? Americans see Lincoln as a great hero who ended slavery by winning the terrible civil war that was fought in the middle of the 19th century. He was also assasinated (killed) during his second four-year term in office, which adds to the sense of sacrifice he went through to help his country.
But there is another reason why Lincoln is so popular this year: Barack Obama. Lincoln freed the black slaves, and has always been a special hero to the African American (black) community in the US. President Obama, of course, is the first black president, in some ways completing the process Lincoln started of giving blacks equal rights.
There are other parallels (similarities, things that are alike or identical) as well. Both Lincoln and Obama were products of (came from) Illinois politics before they became president. (Illinois is the home state of Chicago, located in the midwestern part of the US.) Obama has spoken often of Lincoln and his admiration (like, respect) of him. In fact, when Obama was sworn in (took the official oath or promise) as president on January 20th, he used the same Bible as Lincoln used at his first inauguration.
So, happy birthday, Abe (short version of Abraham)!
~Jeff
Happy birthday, Abe!!!
i’ll read some books related about lincoln.
and i believe he will be happy coz now the president is from African American for first time in USA.
and also he is still American’s hero.
Congratuation ^^*
Benjamin Disraely, a famous English nineteenth century politician said “nurture your mind with great thoughts, to believe in the heroic makes heroes”.
Of course, we need to have several new heroes. It’s high time to have at least someone else. Lincoln is a fantastic history to consider precisely now and a perfect mirror to look at ourself. Someone as brave as to intent to change people minds throughout America. All of us have to pay a deserving admiration about men like Abraham Lincoln, whom working very hard and risking a lot they managed to get mankind to become a better place to live in.
Thank you, Jeff. You have to know that your heroes are as well ours.
Best regards,
Julio, Spain.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABE!
Hope Mr Obama will get good results which he and Americans except during his four years. The market is going on green bit a bit and we should believe Mr Obama will do it.
It’s a wow information!
Dear Jeff,
There is one who failed to elect as the Senate several times & had been ill for long time.
I admire why he finally has success after a series of failure.
Even he was assasinated after the serious civil war was over, he was bringinging the justice to the people.
When I was a child, I read the biography for Abraham Lincoln.
Most of people probably can’t be out of desperation when they failed to do something.
Nowdays a lot of people get in trouble as there has been economic crisis.
To overcome it, it’s necessary to have positive mind for the hope.
Surely good time will be coming as we believe.
Nice to all you having such a great man who is alway a sign of honesty and democracy and that gave freedom to the all the afro-american people who where there as slaves.
It cost a high price as a terrible civil war, the worst of all wars, but at the end despite so many damage and deads it gave EE.UU. their identity as a Big Nation where all
their citizens are free.
Now this ideas has been reality with the first not white president in the history of EE.UU., sure Abe should be amazed and happy if he could see Obama being the first
Goverment’s head of his nation.
Is natural that Obama sworn on the same Bible that Lincoln, and it was a pleasure for me when I watch it on the tv., here in my country.
Happy Birthday Abe (a day before the birthday of my mam, she now should be 95, same age as my dad who is stil alive).
I as well want to congratulate this giant of the politic by his 200th anniversary to whom makes us possible to see and live this moment ( cover Barack Obama as the first african-american president of the USA). As the collegue pointed out right above, it sounds like heros make heros in the History.
But I also want to focus on another segment which has brought us, the eslpod followers, a kind of super hero of the english teaching: I want to congratulate the entire ESLPOD Team for engage in this mission of give the opportunity for people all of the world to learn english in a such amazing huge easy way.
For us, you guys are the most important hero.
Thanks for the good work you have been doing in make real the possibility for people all of the world to stay in touching through the english. I am sure that all of us admire your work.
the best regards to the entire ESL Team.
from your faithful follower,
preto.
I also want to congratulate Presidente Abraham Lincoln for his 200th anniversary. I think it was good he came to presidency of the U.S. I think he was one of the best President of the U.S.
Someone of the best people are killed, or they have been victims of attempted murder just for that, because they are the best. Such as Jesus Christ, The President Kenedy, and maybe also The Pope John Paul I, which was The Pope just 33 days, John Lenon, The Pope Joan Paul II, Martin Luther King, and many others.
I would like to write a few words about Abraham Lincoln’s assassination like an tribute or homage to him, although this fact is enough known to most of people.
The murder was carried out in a theater during the performance a musical comedy. When The President sat in the box’s balcony, a men who was actor and was supporter of Southern Virginia shot just a bullet, which hit to him directly in the back of his head. The killer, called John Wilkes Booth, jumped off from box’s balcony to floor. He got break his leg, but he was able escapes riding his horse.
The Presidente was taken to a house near theater quickly, but he died a few hours later. Fortunately, the killer was captured a few days later and maybe was hanged.
Thanks Mr President to get freedom the black people’s slavery. Maybe it is the first step to equality people who live in the U.S. whatever their race.
The first black president, Mr. Barack Obama, should walking in the same direction and, as say Jeff, completing the process Mr. Abraham Lincoln started.
Regards.
Word by word I agree with preto, and it is true that a new world of understanding is opening to us followers of ESL podcast, now when I listen to Mark Knophler my best singer in fact, I can understand nearly everything he is singing and before ESL lessons I didn’t understand him anything.
That is your miracle.
So, to all team thank you so much.
Hi Jeff–don’t you have a brother as old as Abe Lincoln?
I found it very interesting.