Difference between Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy
Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy were two of the most famous Presidents of the United States. Both of these Presidents were associated with campaigns to ensure equality in the United States, with Lincoln being involved in the abolition of slavery and Kennedy in the civil rights movement. Both Presidents were also assassinated while they were in office.
Early Life and Career
Abraham Lincoln was a largely self-educated country lawyer. He became a state legislator in Illinois and he served a term in the House of Representatives. Lincoln twice attempted to become a Senator, but he was not successful. Lincoln was a Whig between 1832 and 1854, and then a member of the Republican Party between 1854 and 1865. He was married with four children.
John Kennedy underwent military service in the South Pacific during the Second World War. He later entered into politics as a member of the Democratic Party. He was in the House of Representatives between 1947 and 1953, and he was then a Senator from 1953 to1960. In 1960, he beat the Republican candidate, Richard Nixon, to become president. Kennedy, like Lincoln, was married with four children.
Presidency
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the US. He held the position from 1861 until 1865. During his political career, Lincoln was a well-known opponent of slavery and it played a large part in his election as president. Lincoln was involved in the passing of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which was for the abolition of slavery. He also issued, in 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln led the Union through the American Civil War. His most famous speech was probably the 1863 Gettysburg Address, which is one of the most commonly quoted speeches in history. In this speech, Lincoln set forth his ideas about liberty, democracy and equal rights.
John Kennedy was the 35th president of the US. He was president between 1961 and 1963. Kennedy led the country through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs, the Space Race and the beginning of the Vietnam War. He also played a role in the Civil Rights Movement.
Assassination
Abraham Lincoln was the first US president to be assassinated. He was killed only six days after the Confederate army surrendered at the end of the American Civil War. Lincoln's assassin was John Wilkes Booth, who had originally planned to kidnap Lincoln and exchange him in return for the release of some Confederate prisoners. However, following a speech by Lincoln in which the president advocated suffrage for blacks, Booth decided to assassinate the president instead. Booth shot Lincoln while he was attending a play at Ford's Theatre. Booth escaped the theater, but he was tracked down and killed by Union soldiers.
Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. The assassin was Lee Harvey Oswald, who was charged with the crime, but never tried because he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby.
Summary
Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy are two of the most famous and popular Presidents of the United States. There are many similarities between them, although they lived in very different times. Lincoln was president at a time when the country was split by civil war, while Kennedy was a 20th century president.
- Lincoln was a Republican, Kennedy was a Democrat.
- Lincoln was President during the American Civil War.
- Kennedy served during the Second World War, and was president at the start of the Vietnam War.
- Lincoln was involved in the abolition of slavery.
- Kennedy supported the civil rights movement.
- Both Lincoln and Kennedy were assassinated while they were serving as President.
