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Uncle Abe’s Valentine | BRIdge From The Past

How are the Thirteenth Amendment and a depiction of Abraham Lincoln connected? In this episode of BRIdge from the Past, Mary explores 'Uncle Abe's valentine sent by Columbia; an envelope full of broken chains' published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper in 1865. What was Lincoln’s role in supporting the Thirteenth Amendment? How was the Thirteenth Amendment a culmination of what he wanted for the United States?

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President Andrew Johnson saw himself as a protector of the United States Constitution during and after the Civil War. In his efforts to preserve and restore the Union, he supported the Thirteenth Amendment ending slavery. The same motive led him to oppose the Fourteenth Amendment because he believed it would infringe on the legitimate powers of the states. In this lesson, students analyze Johnson’s leadership with respect to Reconstruction, and specifically his response to the passage of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments.

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Larger than Life: Abraham Lincoln Portrait by W.F.K. Travers | BRIdge from the Past

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What can the details of a portrait tell us about the sixteenth president? In this episode of BRIdge from the Past, Mary examines W.F.K’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln, which went on display recently at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. The massive portrait is 9 feet tall and contains numerous details that hint at specific parts of Lincoln’s life and his time as president. What image of Lincoln does this portrait attempt to convey?