Introduction

​President Abraham Lincoln melded the energy of people, accomplishments, and ideals in his daily life for the years he resided in wartime Washington City. From the diligence job seekers to the callers as assorted as Nathaniel Hawthorn to P.T. Barnum, Lincoln gained energy from every person he met. Yet, Lincoln needed time for reflection and his daily travels to the Soldier’s Home and its tranquil sanctuary allow Lincoln’s beliefs of union and liberty to flourish into an equalitarian democracy that the world had yet seen. One marvels at how much Lincoln did in one day if one looks at just his accomplishments on a daily basis, all the while running a civil war. ​The three lessons in the unit, Lincoln’s Daily Life in Washington, explores Lincoln’s colossal energy that ultimately saved our republic and allowed America to become the most powerful country in the free world.

Learning Objective

​-Students will characterize the people and its government through the interaction in the people’s house during wartime.
-Student will classify the happenings at Lincoln’s quiet retreat, the Soldier’s Home. 
-Students will gather data to classify the accomplishments Lincoln was on a daily basis. 

Guiding Questions

​-Why is the interacting with the “people” important to rule in a democracy?
-How do artists express the importance of a place through the recollections of those who resided, worked and relaxed there?
-What does the analysis of the accomplishments in the days of a wartime leader reveal about the rapidity of a changing society?

"A Miscellaneous Assortment of Life and Character"

After analyzing Frank Leslie's engraving of Lincoln's 1862 Reception, students will characterize the recollections of Lincoln’s first levee or public reception held four days after his first inaugural. They will conclude the lesson like Lincoln himself would have in 1861. The students will promenade to "Hail Columbia" and exit the room to "Yankee Doodle Dandy." If Lincoln did it, it's good enough for SMS!
  • Frank Leslie’s Engraving Lincoln’s Reception 1862 (PDF)
  • Excerpts from Lincoln’s White House by James Conroy (PDF)
  • “Miscellaneous Assortment of Life and Character” (PDF)
  • Hail Columbia
  • Yankee Doodle Dandy ​
Picture
A hand-colored wood engraving from Frank Leslies Illustrated Newspaper captures President Lincoln welcoming guests to a New Years reception at the White House on January 1, 1862.

Lincoln's Refuge

Students will match reminiscences of people from the Soldier's Home to sculptures, the five Lincoln Cottage Christmas Ornaments, and a mural of the Soldier’s Home. The lesson will begin with Callie Hawkins at Lincoln's Cottage and the lesson will end with the analysis of artist's interpretation of Lincoln's life at the Cottage.
  • Abe Lincoln’s Cottage Introduction by Callie Hawkins
  • Soldier’s Home Reminiscence (PDF per student and a master copy for the group to be cut up)
  • Lincoln’s Cottage Christmas Ornaments (PDF per student group) OR Lincoln’s Cottage Christmas Ornaments Worksheet (PDF per student)
  • Lincoln’s Cottage Mural (PDF)

My Birthday in Lincoln's Daily Life

 Students will gather data about Lincoln’s daily activities and accomplishments starting with each student’s birthday and ending with the whole class classifying and aggregating Lincoln’s activities each year of the war.
Picture
Lincoln in his office in 1864.