The Warehouse (Abraham Lincoln) by Stacey Wires
Links by Nellie Rae Mick
In the early nineteenth century, many of the people earned their living by farming. Many of the prosperous midwest farmers loaded their products onto flatboats and floated them down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, where they were sold. On one of these such occasions, Abe Lincoln, just a boy of nineteen was hired to help on one of the flatboats. Mr. Allen Gentry, who owned the log store down the road from Abe, was taking a boat to New Orleans. Mr. Gentry was going to pay Abe eight dollars a month. Abe was very excited. He wanted to see more of the big, huge world he lived in. The trip down the river was a big adventure for Abe and the others on the boat. They never knew what to expect. One minute the river would be peaceful and calm and the next they would be in the middle of a furious storm. Every night they would dock the boat along the shore and rest for the next day.
One night after they had gone to sleep, robbers crept on board. Abe and Mr. Gentry had to fight them off and eventually the robbers ran away. To Abe, these dangers made the trip even more exciting. It was also exciting to be a part of the traffic on the river. They saw many other flatboats just like their own. All full of products and headed to New Orleans. Abe was fascinated by the cotton fields they passed, and the Negro slaves working in the fields. When they arrived at New Orleans, Abe saw that New Orleans was very different from the land he was used too. Here there were many more people than at home. The public square was very crowded. Abe was in awe of the Cathedral. With its tall towers,it was very different than the log church Abe went to with his family. Nor were the tall houses with their porches and balconies like his home. Abe saw flowers and fountains, carriages and cobblestones. He liked New Orleans very much.
Then he saw other things about New Orleans that he didn't like. He and Mrs. Gentry passed a warehouse where slaves were being sold at an auction. A crowd had gathered and there were several Negroes standing on a platform called an auction block. One by one the Negroes would step forward and the auctioneer would call, "What am I offered? Who will make the first bid?" "Six hundred," called one man. "Seven hundred," called another. The bids kept getting higher and higher. Each slave was sold to the man who made the highest bid or offered to pay the most money. One slave and his wife were sold to different men. Abe could see the tears in the woman's eyes as she was lead away, knowing that she would probably never see her husband again. This scene greatly affected Abe. He had to leave because he couldn't stand watching anymore. When Mr. Gentry made supper, Abe couldn't even eat. "Don't get upset like that," said Mr. Gentry. "Many of the people inherited their slaves, like they did their land. It's not their fault." "I never said it was anybody's fault - at least not anybody who's living now. But it just isn't right for one man to own another," said Abe. That scene would be one that Abe would always remember. It would be one that would influence the rest of his life and all his future decisions. Though at the time he didn't realize it, those few minutes in that warehouse in New Orleans influenced Abraham Lincoln's life forever.
1. What did the farmers do when they had extra products? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
2. What were some of the differences between New Orleans and Abe's home? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
3. How did seeing the slave auction affect Abe? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
4. How do you think you would feel if you saw slaves being sold? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
The Warehouse Outline
I. Background
A. People earned living by farming
B. Sold goods in New Orleans
II. The trip
A. Abe hired to go on flatboat
1. Hired by Mr. Gentry
2. Paid eight dollars a month
B. Adventures along the way
1. Storms
2. Robbers
3. Other flatboats
4. Slaves working in the fields
III. New Orleans
A. Very different from home
B. Public Square crowded
C. Cathedral
D. Homes
IV. The Warehouse
A. Slaves being auctioned
B. Husband and wife sold to different men
C. The affect on Abe
1. Couldn't stay to watch
2. Couldn't eat
3. Thought one man shouldn't own another
V. Conclusion
A. Abe would always remember the warehouse
B. Warehouse would change Abe's life forever
Answers to Questions:
1. They took them on flatboats to New Orleans to sell.
2. New Orleans was crowded. The churches and homes were bigger and fancier than Abe's home.
3. Abe didn't like it. He would remember it forever. He thought one man shouldn't own another. It changed his life.
4. Answers will vary.
Source Story taken from: Cavanah, Frances. Abe Lincoln Gets His Chance. E. M. Hale and Company: Wisconsin, 1965.