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Abraham Lincoln 26931 Views
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Description:
Honest Abe—what a nickname. Abraham Lincoln was the president who led the country through the Civil War and abolished slavery. And he rocked that black top hat. Let's all give him a pat on the back.
Transcript
- 00:08
Abraham Lincoln, a la Shmoop: Wonder how long he had to pose for the penny.
- 00:14
You've probably heard people say that Abraham Lincoln is the greatest President in US history.
- 00:21
Lincoln freed many slaves, saved the Union... and could leap higher than the tallest building.
- 00:28
Actually that last one might have been Clark Kent.
- 00:32
But at least Lincoln had a super-hero style nickname: "Honest Abe."
Full Transcript
- 00:36
And his likeness stares down at us from up on high on Mt. Rushmore...
- 00:40
as if he were a God surveying a universe of mere mortals.
- 00:44
Lincoln was a great President, sure...
- 00:46
But he was also a human being who hoped, despaired, loved, and bled just like the rest of us.
- 00:53
Sometimes when we study "great" historical figures it's easy to forget that they were
- 00:57
also just people... with weaknesses and worries like we have right now.
- 01:03
As that Shakespeare fellow once said,
- 01:06
"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great,
- 01:08
some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."
- 01:12
Before Lincoln became President, he suffered from bouts of extreme depression.
- 01:19
When he was suicidal, his friends would actually
- 01:21
lock him in a near-empty room for days so he couldn't hurt himself.
- 01:25
They didn't have psychiatric medication or any real treatment for depression in those days.
- 01:30
As a result, Lincoln struggled with mental illness his entire life.
- 01:34
However, despite his lifelong struggles,
- 01:36
Lincoln was intelligent, kind, brave... and a great President.
- 01:41
We elected him to lead our country during its most difficult time.
- 01:45
Doesn't it seem unlikely that somebody with serious mental illness in his or her past
- 01:50
would be elected President nowadays?
- 01:53
We research virtually every issue in a politician's past...
- 01:56
... and it seems like nobody who went through
- 01:58
much adversity makes the cut anymore.
- 02:02
Do you think Abraham Lincoln could ever get elected today?
- 02:07
If not, does that mean our system is too hyper-critical
- 02:10
of those who run for public office?
- 02:13
That we "analyze to death" small events in otherwise great lives,
- 02:18
blowing up those small events to mean.. more than they should?
- 02:24
What should we be willing to look past and forgive, and what is truly a red flag?
- 02:33
Shmoop amongst yourselves.
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