Letter from Abraham Student Organizer Answer Key

Look closely at the letter that you have been assigned. Read it carefully and then complete the following:

Letter to Fanny Letter of thanks for Letter to McCullough White Rabbits Grace Bedell Date of letter December 23, 1862 April 2, 1862 October 19, 1860 Location where Executive Mansion Executive Mansion Springfield, Illinos letter was written (The White House) (The White House) Washington, DC Washington, DC Name of person Fanny McCullough (the Michael Crock, Esq. (Esq is Grace Bedell (an 11-year old the letter is daughter of his long-time an abbreviation for esquire, who had written Lincoln a written to friend, William McCullough) which means lawyer) letter asking him to grow a beard) Name of person Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln who wrote the (signed as A. Lincoln) (signed as A. Lincoln) letter Reason for writing To express his grief on To say thank you for white To respond to Grace’s letter the letter hearing about the death of rabbits that were given to his to him, asking him to grow a Fanny’s father and to try to son. beard. cheer her up. Thoughts/ In this letter, Lincoln writes Even though Abraham Before receiving the letter, observations “I have had experience Lincoln was very busy with Lincoln had never grown a about the letter enough to know what I say.” the responsibilities of being beard. However, within a few In fact, Lincoln suffered a lot President of the United months of receiving Grace of loss in his life, as well. His States, he took the time to Bedell’s letter, he grew a mother died when he was 9 thank someone for a gift for beard for the first time. years old and two of his sons his son. had died by the time he wrote this letter. His son Edward died in 1850 and his son Willie died February 20, 1862 (10 months before Lincoln wrote this letter).