Why was Abraham Lincoln, one of our greatest presidents- if not?

Question

in fact the greatest- relegated to the lowest currency denomination we have, the penny?

Answer 1

He looks good in copper?

Answer 2

I believe that the reason presidents like Washington and Lincoln are on the dollar bill and the penny is because the dollar bill and the penny are mostly used by the average American. I know I would get disgusted if these currency denominations had the profile of a poor president on it, I would feel like I am promoting them or something. I am grateful that evey time I make a purchase I will see at least one of them if not both of them.

Also, I think it represents the type of people there were. Both of these presidents didn't reeally grow up with much, and they did not become president for the money either. I believe if these presidents had the choice on which currency denomination they would want to be on, I believe they would choose one similiar to what they are on now, so they would be closer to, and be more recognized by the Average American.

However, this is just my opinion, so I'm just throwing it out there.

Answer 3

Yes, he was. Who the hell knows why they put him on a penny, and who cares. Currency has nothing to do with greatness. They put Washington on a one dollar bill, and Jackson on a twenty. Most would say Washington was by far the greater man than Jefferson, and I would agree. Grant sucked, and he's on a fifty.

Answer 4

He was great in his own respect, however, he may have freed the slaves, but he did it begrudgingly, he said that if he could save the South w/o freeing the slave he would; the only reason the Emancipation Proclamation was signed was to hurt the South economically. So in sum, b/c he freed slaves, although not for the reasons we have been told, that makes him great.

Answer 5

is this an opinion?

cause Jefferson was the the greatest president...{he really never wanted to be one.}
Jefferson, knew {had the foresight to know!}...the very government he helped put into action....would eventually fall, as it has...he left us words, and courage..that the fight for freedom, had to come from us...{and remain..in us!}

Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation [of power] first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.
—Thomas Jefferson

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.
—Thomas Jefferson, 1778

History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is.
—Thomas Jefferson, ca. 1800

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
—Thomas Jefferson

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.
—Thomas Jefferson

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.
—Thomas Jefferson, 1787
Letter to Abigail Adams

I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labour of the industrious.
—Thomas Jefferson, 1812

Our legislators are not sufficiently apprised of the rightful limits of their power; that their true office is to declare and enforce only our natural rights and duties, and to take none of them from us.
—Thomas Jefferson, Letter to F. W. Gilmer, 1816

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
—Thomas Jefferson

~~~~He even wrote us in...the escape clause......most American's, probably don't even know it exists......such a shame...~~~~~~

...whenever any form of government becomes destructive...it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it...
—Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Independence, 1776