We Were There with Lincoln in the White House

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He grew up in poverty, helping his father farm and educating himself by the candlelight of a tiny home, but Abraham Lincoln went on to be one of the biggest names in American history! After serving one term in the US Senate, he surprised the nation by winning the Presidency in 1860. He was sworn in as the 16th President in March 1861.

The nation was divided over slavery at the time. The 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act had just repealed the Missouri Compromise, and Lincoln had been an active part of that debate in Congress. Early in his first term, he sent troops and supplies to Fort Sumter, in Charleston, SC, to try and maintain a united nation. Civil War broke out at Fort Sumter in 1861.

The Civil War is what defined Lincoln’s Presidency. He was also a great orator. His Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 (took effect in 1863) and Gettysburg Address were two speeches that won the hearts of Unionists and led to his re-election. Early in 1865, Grant and Lee met at Appomattox Courthouse to end the war. (We will visit this in another book.) It was Lincoln’s greatest wish to reunite the nation.

On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln as he was watching a play at Ford’s Theater. Lincoln died the next morning, and Andrew Johnson became the 17th president. Booth was killed a week later. Lincoln’s legacy lives on through his icons – he appeared on the penny as of 1909, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated to him, and his face was sculpted into Mount Rushmore.

Lincoln’s legacy includes...

• Guiding the United States through the Civil War.
• Creating the first income tax in America.
• Signing the Homestead Act.
• Signing the Pacific Railroad Act.
• Helping to institute the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Helping Congress to pass the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.
• Setting new precedents for the president’s role as the chief executive. 

Our spine novel for this unit is We Were There with Lincoln in the White House

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era