Abraham Lincoln List of Failures

Failures of Abraham Lincoln
by Ron Kurtus (11 January 2007) Although Abraham Lincoln is rated as one of the best American presidents it is often pointed out that he had numerous failures in his career until he !as suddenly elected as president in 1"#0$ %his !as mean to sho! that e&en a failure can become president if he doesn't gi&e up$ (ut the problem is that although Lincoln did ha&e many set)bac*s he !as really a highly successful man by the time he !as elected president$ +uestions you may ha&e include, -hat is a list of Lincoln's failures. -hat is the true chronology of Lincoln's career. -hat has been the purpose of the failure list.
%his lesson !ill ans!er those /uestions$
List of Lincoln's failures

A common list of the failures of Abraham Lincoln (along !ith a fe! successes) is, 1"01 1"02 1"00 1"06 1"08 1"0# 1"0" 1"60 1"6# 1"6" 1"6< 1"86 1"8# 1"8" 1"#0 ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Lost his 1ob 2efeated in run for 3llinois 4tate Legislature 5ailed in business 7lected to 3llinois 4tate Legislature (success) 4!eetheart died 9ad ner&ous brea*do!n 2efeated in run for 3llinois 9ouse 4pea*er 2efeated in run for nomination for :$4$ ;ongress 7lected to ;ongress (success) Lost re)nomination Re1ected for land officer position 2efeated in run for :$4$ 4enate 2efeated in run for nomination for =ice >resident Again defeated in run for :$4$ 4enate 7lected >resident (success)
%hat loo*s li*e a pretty glum r?sum? ma*ing you !onder ho! he e&er made it to the top$ (ut !hen you really thin* of it to run for office or high positions so many times you ha&e to ha&e something on the ball and ha&e more successes than meet the eye$
Chronology of Lincoln's career

Lincoln actually !as considered a fairly successful politician in 3llinois and a leader of the -hig party in his state as !ell as a successful la!yer$ %he true chronology of his career is as follo!s$
1831
At age 22 he lost his 1ob because his father !anted to mo&e the family$
1832
At age 20 he !as elected company captain of 3llinois militia in the (lac* 9a!* -ar$ (ecause of his (lac* 9a!* -ar in&ol&ement he did not spend sufficient time campaigning and !as defeated in running for the 3llinois 4tate Legislature$ @ote that he !as only 20)years old$
1834
At age 28 he started a store in @e! 4alem 3llinois !ith a partner$ 9e !as appointed postmaster of @e! 4alem and deputy sur&eyor of 4angamon ;ounty$ :nfortunately his partner died causing the business to fail$ Lincoln later paid off the !hole debt for the failed business$ %hen he !as elected to the 3llinois 4tate 9ouse of Representati&es$ %hat certainly seems li*e a busy and successful year for someone only 28$
1835
Lincoln's s!eetheart Ann Rutledge died$
1836
At age 27 Lincoln reportedly had a ner&ous brea*do!n$ (Aany scholars belie&e this to be a fabrication of -illiam 9erndon made after Lincoln had died$ 9erndon had been a la! partner of Lincoln but they did not get along$ ;onsidering Lincoln's other accomplishments that year a ner&ous brea*do!n !as unli*ely$) Lincoln !as re)elected to 3llinois 4tate Legislature and led the -hig political party delegation in mo&ing 3llinois state capital from =andalia to 4pringfield$ 9e also recei&ed a license to practice la! in 3llinois state courts and became la! partner of John %$ 4tuart$
1838
At age 2< he !as nominated for 3llinois 9ouse 4pea*er by -hig caucus but did not !in the election because the -higs could not garner enough &otes$ 9e then ser&ed as the -hig 5loor Leader$
1839
Lincoln !as chosen presidential elector for the first -hig con&ention$ 9e also !as admitted to practice la! in :$4$ ;ircuit ;ourt$
1840
At age 01 he !as re)elected to 3llinois 4tate Legislature$ 9e also argued his first case before 3llinois 4upreme ;ourt$
1841
9e established a ne! la! practice !ith 4tephen %$ Logan
1842
At age 00 he !as re)elected to 3llinois 4tate Legislature$ Lincoln !as also admitted to practice la! in :$4$ 2istrict ;ourt$ 9e !as becoming a &ery successful la!yer as !ell as a popular legislator$
1843
At age 06 Lincoln !anted to run for ;ongress but for the sa*e of -hig party unity agreed to hold off until 1"6# to allo! other party candidates to represent the state$ %hus he really !as not defeated for nomination for ;ongress as stated in the list of his BfailuresB$
1844
Lincoln established his o!n la! practice !ith -illiam 9$ 9erndon as 1unior partner$ (After Lincoln had been assassinated 9erndon claimed that Lincoln had suffered a ner&ous brea*do!n in 1"0#$ %his apparently !as an effort to get bac* at Lincoln's !ido!$)
1846
At age 07 Lincoln !on the election for :$4$ ;ongress$
1848
At age 0< Lincoln's term in office !as up and !as not a candidate for ;ongress per an agreed)upon arrangement among the -higs$ 9e did ho!e&er try to get an appointment as ;ommissioner of the Ceneral Land Dffice at -ashington 2$;$ but didn't get appointed$
1849
Lincoln !as admitted to practice la! in :$4$ 4upreme ;ourt$ 9e !as offered appointment as go&ernor of the Dregon %erritory but he declined the position$
1854
9e !as elected to the 3llinois 4tate Legislature but declined the seat to run for :$4$ 4enate$
1855
At age 6# Lincoln ran for the :$4$ 4enate but then !illingly deferred his -hig &otes as a political mo&e to allo! %rumbull to !in the seat$ 3t !as an intentional mo&e and not a defeat as the list claims$
1856
At age 67 Lincoln recei&ed &otes in the >hiladelphia Republican con&ention for the &ice presidency$ 9e did not campaign and !as not running for the office at that time so he did not gain the nomination$
1858
At age 6< he ran for the :$4$ 4enate and !on the popular &ote$ (ut the 3llinois 4tate Legislature o&erthre! the popular &ote as !as legal in those days$ 3n 1<10 >resident -oodro! -ilson eliminated that practice !ith the 17th amendment to the constitution$ %hus Lincoln ran for the 4enate and !as defeated$
1859
Lincoln had a &ery successful and lucrati&e la! practice but hesitantly agreed to run for the presidency$
1860
At age 81 (2<)00yr struggle) Lincoln became president of the :nited 4tates$
Purpose of failure list

Abraham Lincoln had a &ery successful career up to becoming president$ (ut for anyone trying different things there can be a number of setbac*s$ 5or some reason !riters eEaggerated the setbac*s or defeats in order to use them to inspire people to o&ercome life's difficulties !ith Lincoln as a model$ %he failure list is great for moti&ational seminars and graduation speeches but it is far from reality$
Summary
Abraham Lincoln is rated as one of the best American presidents but it is often noted that he had numerous failures in his career$ 3n realty he !as a &ery successful politician and la!yer$ %he supposed list of setbac* is meant to sho! that e&en a failure can become president if he doesn't gi&e up$ @e&er gi&e up

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What was Lincoln's true career path prior to becoming president?

What is the purpose of emphasizing Lincoln's supposed 'failures'?

Failures of Abraham Lincoln

%his lesson !ill ans!er those /uestions$

List of Lincoln's failures

Chronology of Lincoln's career

Purpose of failure list

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