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We all know that there are certain virtues that are good for us.
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Intelligence, wisdom, bravery, justice, respect, responsibility, honesty, unselfishness, compassion, patience, and perseverance.
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Always have been and always will be positive virtues.
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Think of some people who have those traits.
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Maybe it's Martin Luther King, or Abraham Lincoln, or George Washington.
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I bet you know a lot of facts about these historical figures, but maybe you've never taken the time to think about their character.
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Let's talk about Sybil Ludington.
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She's a little-known revolutionary figure.
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But boy, was she something!
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She rode 40 miles through the damp, cold night of April 26, 1777 to alert the colonial militia of a British attack.
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Her action was similar to that of Paul Revere, only she rode twice as far and was only 16 years old.
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That takes some real guts!
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Beriah Green?
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Anyone ever heard of Beriah Green?
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He was president of the first integrated school in the United States.
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He also spent the majority of his life fighting for the immediate abolition of slavery.
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He used his voice, pen, and good deed to fight slavery.
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Beriah Green was fiercely devoted to abolition before it was popular because he believed it was the right thing to do.
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And then there's Abraham Lincoln.
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You know he was president during the Civil war.
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He wrote the Emancipation Proclamation and is credited with freeing the slaves.
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He went to war with the South to save the Union.
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He helped the country get through one of its most difficult times.
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He kept the United States united.
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But, above all that, Abraham Lincoln showed great leadership.
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Could any of these people have done the deeds they're famous for without bravery, compassion, dedication, or wisdom?
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No!
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History can teach us much more than just the facts.
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It's full of examples of how to live better.
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And for you, even if you're not freeing the slaves, or riding 40 miles on horseback,
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bravery and wisdom will help you get an A on that test, ask out that cute boy, and get that great job.