Overcoming Obstacles In James A. Garfield's Early Life

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During James A. Garfield’s early life, he built a strong, likable foundation that would carry him to many places including the President of the United States. Garfield faced many barriers, but his intelligence, diligence, and perseverance helped overcome these barriers. Garfield’s parents, like any other parent would, wanted Garfield to get a good education. Unfortunate for his mother, Garfield “longed for a life at sea”. Eventually, he started doing canal work at the Erie and Ohio canal. Soon he contracted a terrible sickness that was almost fatal. He went home and soon recovered. He realized that canal work wasn’t for him, he switched tracks and continued his education. Garfield was so persevered to learn that “convinced the school to allow