Carl Sandburg was a great man. His life was one of fame, once he began writing. He inspired many people. He also became an American Marvel. His works still remain read even today, 30 years after his death.  His life was an interesting one. His parents immigrated to the US from Sweden. His parents moved to Galesburg, Illinois. He attended public schools. At the age of thirteen, he had to give up public school and go to work to help earn money for his family. First, he drove a milk truck. Next he worked in a barber shop Then he went on to change sets in theater, operated a brick kiln, and worked as a carpenter, house painter and dishwasher. When he was older, he joined the fight against the Spanish in the Spanish-American War. He spent a long eight months in Puerto Rico.

After the war, he went to Lombard College. Afterwards, he went on to work as an organizer for the Social-Democratic Party in Wisconsin, during 1907 through 1908. That was also the year he got married. He also wrote for the Leader, a newspaper in Milwaukee. He then went on to the city of Chicago. There, he wrote for the two newspapers, the Daily News and the Daybook. He liked writing for newspapers some, but his true passion was poetry. Some of his early poems were published in the Chicago newspapers he worked for. With his love for poetry grew, the demand for his poetry also grew. In the year 1916, at the age of thirty eight, he published the book, Chicago poems. Two years later, at the age of forty, he published Cornhuskers. The public loved these two marvelous books. Other poets accepted them as wonderful. In the 1920’s he became so popular, that he quit journalism to write full-time as a career. He also moved away from the black ink to write songs. Some were accepted into songbooks, such as The Songbag, and The New American Songbag.  Sandburg was then transformed into an American Marvel. he was very interested in the Ideas of Democracy and Liberty.

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He was inspired by great men, such as Abraham Lincoln, who was shot eighteen years before Sandburg’s birth. He was so inspired that he wrote a book about the man’s life. It was called Abraham Lincoln: The war year’s volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4. These were published in the year 1939, at the late age of 61. The series was so strong and powerful, it won a Pulitzer prize. Some of his all-American works include the following: The Chicago race chariots(1919), Mary Lincoln , Wife and Widow(1932), Rootabaga Country(1922), and Potato Face(1930).

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William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)
William completed his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in 2013. He current serves as a lecturer, tutor and freelance writer. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, walking his dog and parasailing. Article last reviewed: 2022 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2024 | Creative Commons 4.0

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