March 8, 2007

• Easter & History

  Robert Todd Lincoln  A man who could of been President but didn’t want the office.  He says, “It seems difficult for the average American to understand that it is possible for anyone not to desire the Presidency but I most certainly do not.” 
  
  Interesting Facts about Robert:
  *Most historians suggest that Robert Lincoln was the most successful of all the presidential children. 
  *The only incident that Abraham Lincoln ever lashed out in anger at his son was when young Robert lost the inaugural address on a train ride to Washington. 
  *Robert attended Harvard.  
  *He enrolled in the Civil War.
  *As it was winding down on on the morning of April 14, 1865, Ulysses S. Grant arrived in Washington with Robert in his entourage.  The President and 1st lady invited Robert to join them for a performance at Ford’s Theater, but Robert declined the invitation.  Abraham would be assassinated.
  *Mary Lincoln was too bereaved to attend Abraham’s funeral and Robert performed this chore.
  *For several weeks Robert had his mother followed by detective agents. 
  *Robert would have his mother (Mary) committed to an insane asylum. 
  *Mary complained that someone was following her.  (This was used as evidence against her.)
  *She won her release and fled to Europe, fearful that Robert would strike again.
  *Abraham Lincoln had a dream a week before the assassination:  He saw a coffin in the East room and when he asked he was told, “It’s the President.”  The following day Abraham opened his bible and read the account of Jacob and his dream.  Abraham spent the next few days going through the Bible looking for dreams.
  *Upon reading the account of this dream Robert couldn’t shake his feeling of guilt, “If I had been at the theater, things would of been different.”
  *In 1881, President Garfield had a troubling dream of his own death.  He summoned Robert Lincoln because he knew the account of Abraham Lincoln and wanted some insight.  They were to depart together on the presidential train.  Robert arrived late at the station just as the assassination of President Garfield occurred.
  *In 1901 President William McKinley began to experience troubling dreams.  He sought out Robert.  On September 6, 1901, Robert arrived just in time to see the president shaking hands with the crowd.  As Robert drew near to the President, an assassin fired the fatal shot. 
  *Robert Lincoln died on July 25, 1926. Robert had previously chosen not to be buried with his family, but at Arlington National Cemetery.
  
  

  How is the date for Easter picked? 

  History of the Easter Egg:  16th century German literature depicts the Easter Bunny as delivering eggs. (Eggs were symbols of resurrection & continuing life) Colored eggs were left only for the well-behaved good children. 
  For centuries, eggs were prohibited during lent, so at Easter eggs were a treat.
  Easter new clothes: At one time in history, one set of clothes was worn throughout all lent, then discarded for a new outfit on Easter.

   

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