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4
Life in the White House
Did you know?
Willie and Tad had
a pet goat that they
hitched to a cart and
rode through the
White House!
President Lincoln’s family lived with him in the White
House. Who lives in the White House today? Lincoln’s
sons, Willie and Tad, liked to pretend they were soldiers
fighting for the Union. How is the toy sword in the
exhibit different from a toy today?
Mary Lincoln wore beautiful clothes that were
custom-made for her. What kind of image do you
think she was trying to present by the way she
dressed? What kind of statements do you make with
your clothes? Which other First Ladies have been
known for their fashion sense?
Mrs. Lincoln’s fan is also beautiful, and besides being
a lovely accessory, it was a very functional item. Why
might ladies have needed fans in the 1860’s?
Elizabeth Keckley was Mrs. Lincoln’s dressmaker and
close friend. What are two obstacles Mrs. Keckley had
overcome by the time she knew Mrs. Lincoln? How
might those make her remarkable?
Mary Lincoln, courtesy of Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site; Willie Lincoln, courtesy of Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-19390; Tad Lincoln, courtesy of Library of
Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-19225; Elizabeth Keckley, circa 1861, courtesy of Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University