1. What 2-3 adjectives come to mind when you think of President Abraham Lincoln? Explain your answer.

2. Abraham Lincoln was known as "Honest Abe" and "The Great Emancipator." Why was he given each of these nicknames?

3. Take some time to check out the links on Abraham Lincoln in today's post. Has your answer to question #1 changed? Explain your answer.

4. Read some of President Lincoln's speeches, including:

• Gettysburg Address at Library of Congress loc.gov.
• Emancipation Proclamation at archives.gov.
• 2nd Inauguaral Address at avalon.law.yale.edu.
• Read about Lincoln's first Thanksgiving Proclamation from 1863 (and the text here).
• Lincoln's last public address, given on April 11, 1865, following Gen. Lee's surrender to Gen. Grant

Tone is the attitude a writer takes towards his subject. For each speech, what is the general tone?

CHALLENGE:  Abraham Lincoln remained steadfast in his embrace of the Declaration of Independence throughout his presidency. As he had urged in a speech in 1858:

"Return to the foundation whose waters spring close by the blood of the Revolution. Think nothing of me; take no thought for the political fate of any man whomsoever, but come back to the truths that are in the Declaration of Independence."

How many times have you read through the Declaration of Independence?  Read through the Declaration of Independence every day for a week.  Why do you think these truths were so important to Lincoln? For the full text, go to the U.S. Archives: archives.gov