Richard Hofstadter's Abraham Lincoln And The Self-Made Myth

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Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is known, to Americans, as the epitome of a self-made man. Lincoln is regarded to as a “common man” because of his humility and belief in simplicity. He overcame his humble beginnings and acquired success through self-education, thus making him honorable. In Richard Hofstadter’s, Abraham Lincoln and the Self- Made Myth, Hofstadter argues that Lincoln’s view on slavery evolved throughout his political career. Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, Gettysburg Address, and Second Inaugural Address prove his argument.
Hofstadter proves, in his article, that Lincoln’s perception and action towards slavery evolved throughout his political career. Hofstadter states that Lincoln’s “ later career as an opponent of slavery