Abraham Lincoln/Ulysses Grant and Their Roller Coaster Lives.

Lincoln, Grant and George Washington demonstrate what happens when you refuse to give up in three documentaries currently on Amazon Prime.  

Abraham Lincoln's life was rough. If you ever look closely at pictures of him, you can tell that being president took a big toll on him. Yes, presidents seem to age faster than normal. Lincoln had a good reason. States were leaving the union and a horrible war began. 

Before becoming president, he started out poor. His mother died when he was still young. His father sort of raised him on a farm in the middle of no where. Abe was interested in getting an education, but his father had no interest in it. They had nothing in common and didn't get along. 

He ran for President once and lost. This caused him to become depressed at times, but somehow he pulled himself together and ran again. 

When he was elected, he had to hide because many people wanted to assassinate him. The south didn't like him, of course, because they didn't want to give up slavery. Lincoln was not an abolitionist at the time, but he opposed the expansion of slavery, which the South saw as a threat. As the war went on, Lincoln became more determined to end slavery, which made him a target. 

I can't say too much more without giving out spoilers, but in general, he was always struggling with something. He showed a lot of patience. Inch by inch, he put an end to the war. No wonder he is famous and widely admired today. Sadly, his life was cut short just as he finally put the country back together. He never got to see anything beyond it. 

Ulysses S. Grant also grew up poor. Other kids made fun of his name, but one thing made him happy. He loved horses and became an amazing rider. This led to him joining the military.  

Drinking was common in the military at that time. Grant resorted to drinking when he was bored or missing his family. One time he ended up too drunk and was forced to resign. He ended up a farmer struggling to make ends meet because, other than being in the military, he had no other skills. The farm didn't do well. He was often desperate and hungry.  

Yet, through everything, he ends up back in the military and becomes a general. He even meets with Lincoln and becomes one of his most trusted men. Grant had to witness horrific battles and fields covered in dead bodies. All the while, chain smoking cigars. The South was tough and stubborn, but so was Grant. People overlooked his bad habits because they needed him to win the war. 

As for George Washington, he certainly was a noble person. Yet, he came from an era that was brutal. I knew he had great military success, but I didn’t know how harsh he had to be with disobedient soldiers. At times, he ordered his own soldiers to be whipped for being lazy. Deserters could be shot. Another time, some soldiers were doubting him and trying to rebel. He had the leader of the rebellion shot by his own followers. If they didn’t shoot him, they were going to be executed.

Originally, he was hired by the British military who taught him how to handle disobedience. Although, they didn't treat him very well. They looked down on Americans, finding them crude and backward. That's one thing that led to Washington wanting independence.

Eventually, he was tasked with putting together an army with Americans who tended to be undisciplined and needing a lot of training. Then he had to face a massive, intimidating British army. In one scene, he went to a harbor and saw hundreds of British ships heading his way. His expression said, "How am I going to fight them with THESE men?"

He didn't do well at first, and in one harsh winter his men nearly starved to death. Overtime, we know he succeeded. George stands out in history because of how he fought for an independent America. It wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for him. 

Overall, these documentaries kept me interested, showing how these men over came so much, including their lives. It could be fiction, but even better, it’s real life.