Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Navigation
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Vocabulary and References
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Ways to Participate in the Bicentennial
Vocabulary and References
for a Brief Biography of Abraham Lincoln
Log Cabin- Log cabins such as the one that housed the Lincolns were usually one room
shelters, with no windows or real doors. An opening in the cabin would often by covered
by animal fur. The floor would be dirt. The logs would be filled in with clay, moss or
mud.
Unsettled - not populated.
Game- animals, fish, or birds that are hunted for sport or food.
Tended- directed; looked after.
Crops- a plant which is grown and then harvested for use or for sale.
Frontier- an unexplored area near or beyond a boundary.
Wild Turkey- this bird is native to North America; they are not the same as the turkeys
raised on farms, as they live wild in forests and pastures. They are great fliers, flying up
to 50 miles per hour. The birds are quick on their feet and their “gobble” can travel up to
a mile. These turkeys can grow over 4 feet tall.
Poison(ous)- a substance that kills, injures, or destroys.
Devastating- overwhelming, overpowering; causing destruction or ruin.
Widow- a woman whose husband is no longer living.
Enrichment- the art of making rich or richer; that which makes more productive.
Robinson Crusoe- is a book by Daniel Defoe about a castaway on a tropical island. It
was first published in 1719.
Aesop’s Fables- are a collection of tales that use animals to teach lessons about right
and wrong. They were written between 620-560BC in Ancient Greece.
Flatboat- is a rectangular boat with a flat bottom with boxlike sides; it is used to haul
goods or people down shallow waterways. They were up to 100 feet long and up to 10
feet wide. Flatboats were usually taken apart once they reached their destination and the
wood was used for other purposes; so they were named the “boat that never came back.”
Politics- concerned with or pertaining to government.
Black Hawk War- This war occurred in April of 1932 between the Sac and Fox Indians
and the United States. After the treaty of 1931, the Sac and Fox left northern Illinois for a
reservation in Iowa. However, upset by this agreement, Chief Black Hawk led 1,000 of
his people back to the area to reclaim their land. Federal troops and Illinois militia fought
the return of the Native Americans at the Mississippi River and captured Black Hawk; the
tribes returned to Iowa and gave up their claim.
Postmaster- the head of an individual post office.
Surveyor- determines the position of the earth’s surface, as in elevations, to aid in the
construction of buildings.
License- an official document that gives permission to engage in a specific activity or to
perform in a specific task.
Nominate- to select a candidate for an elective office; to appoint or designate to a
position.
House of Representatives- is one of the two houses of the U.S. Congress. Each state
elects a number of members based on population. Each member serves a two-year term.
The house creates legislation. During Lincoln’s time, the North, which was far more
populated than the South, had far more delegates.
Whig Party- was a political party that had a strong presence in U.S. government
between 1835 and 1857. Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and Zachary
Taylor were Whigs. The issue of slavery divided this party. The Republican party, which
included Abraham Lincoln, was a result of this split.
U.S. Mexican War- took place between 1846 and 1848 between the U.S. and Mexico.
The conflict followed the statehood of Texas in 1845. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
ended the war and gave U.S. control of Texas. It established the border of Mexico and the
states at the Rio-Grande River. The areas of now California, Nevada, and Utah as well as
now parts of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming also became part of the
country. The U.S. did pay a sum to Mexico for the land and forgave a majority of
Mexico’s debts.
Slavery- the practice of holding a person against his or her will and forcing him or her
to work for another.
Territories- areas, usually of great size, which are controlled by a particular
government.
Legislation- the act or procedures of passing laws; an official enacted law.
Discord- lacking accord or harmony; not in agreement
Fugitive Slave Act- was passed in 1850. It made it a law that the federal government
should return slaves who run away from the South to the North.
Severe- strict; stern; hard; not fancy; extremely painful; intense.
Secede- to withdraw or leave an organization or group.
Republican Party- was born in 1854 as an anti-slavery party. It is now one of the two
largest parties in the United States. There have been 19 Republican presidents.
Campaign- to run an organized operation designed to bring about a particular political
or social goal; to run for an elected office.
U.S. Senate- is one of the two houses of the U.S. Congress. Each state is represented by
two elected senators. Senators serve six year terms. The Senate confirms appointments,
ratifies treaties, and approves legislation.
Debate- to discuss or argue opposing points; to consider; to deliberate.
Moral- relating to the actions or character from the point of right or wrong; teaching the
right behavior.
Opponent- one who is against another; one who fights another.
Engaging- attractive, interesting.
Unanimous- the agreement of everyone involved.
Popular Vote- is the vote of each citizen in an election.
Electoral College- is a group of people elected to vote for a candidate for office. Each
state in the U.S. has a set number of electors in relationship to the number of its
representatives in Congress. These electors typically vote in relation to the popular vote
of their region.
Inaugurated- to put into office in a formal ceremony.
Confederate States of America- was made up of 11 states that seceded from the United
States of America. They included South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama,
Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Battle of Fort Sumter- took place on an island at the harbor of Charleston, South
Carolina over the Union military Fort Sumter. In April 1861, Union troops surrendered
the fort to the South. This marked the beginning of the Civil War.
Battle of Gettysburg- took place on July 1, 1863 outside the city of Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania. It lasted three days. 22,000 Union troops were killed and 28,000
Confederate troops were killed. Confederate troops retreated and the battle indicated the
first major victory for the North.
Industry- the commercial production of goods and services; manufacture and trade.
Waterways- a body of water that is good for travel.
Emancipation Proclamation- was issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863 and
stated that if the Confederate states did not return to the Union within 100 days, all the
slaves of the South would be free. However, the Proclamation did not free slaves in
Union states that still permitted slavery. But it was an important step in absolving slavery.
13th Amendment- of the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and was ratified in 1865. It
reads: “Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for
crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United
States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Section 2. Congress shall have the power
to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
Surrender- to give up power
Assassin- one who murders a politically important person
Mourners- people expressing grief, sorrow and loss
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