Compare and Contrast Essay on President Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt

Introduction

America's Presidents lies at the very center of American History as some of the most influential individuals who have taken active roles in shaping the country America is today (Barber, 2017). Ever since America's founding fathers decided that there would be just one elected civilian mandated to lead the executive branch of the federal government, America has had forty-five presidents. The governmental structure with the president as the head of state and the commander in chief of the armed forces has been upheld for over 200 years. Some presidents have received expanded attention due to their significant impact while in office. Some of the renowned and celebrated American Presidents include George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and Theodore Roosevelt. However, in this paper, I will analyze, compare, and contrast President Abraham Lincoln and President Franklin D. Roosevelt and their contribution in building America.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

President Abraham Lincoln

President Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County Kentucky. Lincoln was born into a humble family and surrounding. His parents were farmers in Sinking Spring Farm where they were forced out following a lawsuit over the property title. Contrary to his father, Thomas Lincoln, their farm had been admitted to the union as a slave state forcing them to move to Indiana one of the states that had excluded slavery (Pederson & Williams, 2016). Unfortunately, in October 1818, Nancy Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's mother passed on after suffering from brucellosis. Thomas Lincoln married Sarah Johnson a widow with three children and the two families blended well.

Abraham enrolled in Andrew Crawford's School together with his siblings but most of the time they did not attend classes. In fact, Lincoln's entire school attendance was less than a year. The little time Lincoln spent in school, he not only concentrated with academics but he also developed his abilities to interact with people and speak in public. Lincoln was a self-educated and enthusiastic reader. In 1830, the Lincoln family moved to Southern Illinois where he worked on a river flatboat. He also worked as a shopkeeper and a postmaster before engaging in local politics winning elections to the Illinois legislature in 1834 (Pederson & Williams, 2016). Like his colleagues in the Whig Party, Lincoln opposed the spread of slavery

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the United States House of Representatives. However, he was unpopular among Illinois voters due to his stance against the United States war with Mexico. Consequently, he did not seek reelection in 1849 (Pederson & Williams, 2016). However, the turn of events obliged him to reconsider quitting politics. In 1854, he got an opportunity to debate the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 winning the attention of Americans. Lincoln also joined the New Republican Party with an aim of opposing the expansion of slavery. His stance against abolishing slavery made him a reputable leader nationally despite losing the senatorial election to Stephen Douglas, a confederate who was in support of the slavery institution. In 1860, Lincoln decided to run for presidency with the New Republican Party and won against Douglas (Pederson & Williams, 2016). However, his victory provoked a crisis with the Southerners who feared that he would abolish slavery in America.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt commonly referred to by his initials FDR was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York. Roosevelt was born in a well up family that owned a huge plantation in Hudson Valley (Morris, 2015). In fact, his father, James Roosevelt, and mother, Sara Roosevelt were wealthy members of the elite society. Franklin Roosevelt early life exposed him to farmers and rural lifestyles, which would later influence his passion for conservation and commitment towards America's working class, especially during the Great Depression. As a child, Franklin Roosevelt showed interest in boats and stamps, some of the hobbies that motivated him to join the United States Navy and develop over 200 stamps between 1933 and 1945 (Morris, 2015).

Franklin Roosevelt received formative education and attended Groton School, a preparatory institution in Massachusetts. He also graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history in 1903 before studying law at New York's Columbia University where he passed the bar examination but left the school without taking a degree. After 1907, he practiced law as a clerk in Wall Street in New York but displayed lack of interest in the legal profession. Motivated by Theodore, one of his cousin, Roosevelt became interested in public service and launched his political journey in 1910. In fact, his first attempt to hold a public office was a success following his win to the state senate as a Democrat in the heavily Republican Duchess County. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Franklin Roosevelt as an assistant secretary of the United States Navy, where he worked for about seven years (Morris, 2015). His experience in navy and visits to European naval bases following U.S. entrance into World War I exposed Roosevelt to radicalism and prepared him to take over demanding public responsibilities.

In 1924, Roosevelt returned to active politics despite suffering from poliomyelitis a crippling illness that almost undermined his ambitions. With support from his wife, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt and a political confidant, Louis Howe Roosevelt succeeded in succeeding New York Governor Alfred E. Smith in 1928. He was even reelected as governor in 1930 and took that opportunity to start campaigning for the presidency (Morris, 2015). In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt won the nomination as a Democratic Party candidate for president. Roosevelt political agenda was a call for government intervention in the economy to address the depression effects by offering relief, recovery and reforms programs. Indeed, his activist approach and personal charm helped him win the presidential elections held in November 1932 by over seven million votes.

Similarities Between President Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt

The primary similarity between Lincoln and Roosevelt is that the two became president of the United States. On November 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected the sixteenth president of America. In fact, his win was on the third ballot of the Presidential nomination. On the other hand, Roosevelt began his presidential bid in 1930. Eventually, he was elected as the thirty-second president of the United States in 1932. Both Lincoln and Roosevelt were great radicals and historical heroes based on the way they led America through its most stimulating wars to final victories.

The early development of the two American Presidents prepared them to take over the most powerful position in the country as well as in the world. For instance, although Abraham Lincoln was brought up in a humble background the environment he grew up made him understand the difficulties slaves were going through in the hands of their masters. Lincoln was best suited in fighting for the plight of slaves as he grew in plantation and was brought by farming parents. As a result, he grew to condemn the slavery institution making him one of the stout activists against bondage (Barber, 2017). Similarly, Franklin Roosevelt, early life prepared him to tackle the national problems Americans were going through during his reign. For instance, Roosevelt grew in a leadership family and his roots would be traced back to President Theodore Roosevelt. Likewise, his engagement with navy and movement across Europe during World War I was preparing him to manage the country during World War II.

President Lincoln and Roosevelt were also charismatic and determined in winning despite the hardships they may have gone through in life. For instance, Lincoln background would have discouraged him from accomplishing his targets. He did not receive the level of education a number of Americans would have wished their president to acquire. However, he became an avid reader and portrayed his determination to learn by looking for books from other students (Leuchtenburg, 2017). Lincoln limited time in school was maximally utilized to acquire essential skills in both socializing with people and addressing members of the public. Likewise, Roosevelt was charismatic and his first attempt to occupy a public office was a success. Roosevelt had acquired background education that would have seen him through in different careers but opted to quit being a clerk to engage in public service. Before becoming the president, Roosevelt suffered from poliomyelitis but this did not hinder him from running for the presidency. Likewise, the two leaders have shown that they were determined in serving Americans as their executive leaders despite the country being in different challenging a period.

The political journey of both Lincoln and Roosevelt was influenced by turn of events rather than their personal interests. In fact, in 1864 Lincoln had been quoted attesting that he did not control events but the happenings around him controlled him in a great way. The same can be said of Roosevelt as circumstance around left him with little choice to take an active role in public service and vie for the presidency. With Lincoln, the American state of slavery and intentions of the Confederate states to expand the institution to western parts of the United States made him consider his bid for the presidency. Likewise, Roosevelt had even considered abandoning public service but the Great Depression in the country made him reconsider his stance for the presidency. Indeed, both Lincoln and Roosevelt were best suited for the presidency as they had the technical skills and rich knowledge in dealing with prevailing issues in their respective times.

Additionally, Lincoln and Roosevelt despite varying in opinions with the opposition parties they remained focused in liberating Americans and were seen as advocates for freedom for all regardless of race or social status. With Lincoln have reflected the much liberating black Americans from the bondage of slavery would have benefited America, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. In one of his speech in Gettysburg Lincoln said that those that had lost their lives fighting for their rights should not have died in vain (Leuchtenburg, 2017). He also promised a new birth of freedom and a government for all people, which marked the new definition of democracy. Based on Lincoln democracy refers to the government of the people, by the people and for the people and this acted as a guideline in abolishing slavery and winning the Civil War in 1865. Similarly, Franklin Roosevelt led Americans through two terrible crises. The Great Depression threatened to destroy American economically and socially. Roosevelt managed to harness American energies to promote programs aimed at offering relief, recovery and reconstruction aid and advocated for reforms to revolutionize American government and public lives. Roosevelt also expounded the ideas pertaining to freedom of speech, worship, and expression and encouraged Americans not only to defend this ideology but they should also advance it progressively.

Differences Between President Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt

By analyzing the difference between President Abraham Lincoln and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the two lived in widely different periods. During Lincoln time, America had divided itself into the Union and Confederate states and relied on agricultural products despite industrialization starting to take shape in Northern states....