I was born February 12, 1809, in Hardin Co., Ky. My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families. . .. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks. ... My paternal grandfather . .. emigrated from Rockingham Co, Va, to Kentucky, about 1781 or 1782, where, a year or two later, he was killed by Indians, not in battle, but by stealth, when he was laboring to open a farm in the forest.... My father, at the death of his father, was but six years of age, and he grew up, literally without any education. He removed from Kentucky to what is now Spencer Co., Ind, in my eighth year. ... It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up. There were some schools, so called, but no qualification was ever required of a teacher beyond readin, writin, and cipherin, to the rule of three. If a straggler supposed to understand Latin, happened to sojourn in the neighborhood, he was looked upon as a wizard,
..Of course,
when I came of age I did not know much. Still, somehow, I could read, write, and cipher to the rule of three, but that was all. I have not been to school since. The little advance I now have upon this store of education, I have picked up from time to time under the pressure of necessity.
I was raised to farm work, which I continued till I was twenty two. At twenty one I came to Illinois... [to] Macon county. Then I got to New-Salem . .., where I remained a year as a sort of clerk in a store. Then came the Black Hawk war; and I was elected a captain of volunteers--a success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since. I went into the campaign, was elected, ran for the Legislature the same year (1832) and was beaten -the only time I ever have been beaten by the people. The next, and three succeeding biennial elections I was elected to the Legislature. I was not a candidate afterwards. During this legislative period I had studied law, and removed to Springfield to practice it. In 1846 I was once elected to the lower House of Congress. Was not a candidate for re-election. From 1849 to 1854,.. in politics, and generally on the Whig electoral ticket, making active canvasses. I was losing interest in politics, when the repeal of the Missouri Compromise aroused me again..
If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said I am in height six feet
four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing, on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse black hair and grey eyes- no other marks or brands recollected.
3. How does the author seem to have gotten most of his education?
The author seems to have gotten most of his education through self-learning and picking up knowledge as necessary under the pressure of circumstances. He mentions that he could read, write, and do basic arithmetic to the rule of three, which he learned during his early schooling. He also mentions that he studied law during his legislative period and practiced it after moving to Springfield. Therefore, his education seems to have been mostly self-directed and acquired through practical experiences and self-study.
The author seems to have gotten most of his education through self-directed learning and picking up knowledge from various sources under the pressure of necessity. He mentions that he could read, write, and do basic arithmetic (up to the rule of three) by the time he came of age. He mentions attending some schools that did not require much from the teachers beyond basic skills, and if there happened to be someone knowledgeable in Latin in the neighborhood, they were seen as a wizard. The author also mentions studying law during his legislative period and practicing it in Springfield. Overall, the author's education appears to be predominantly self-taught and acquired through personal efforts and circumstances.
The author of this passage, who is unknown from the given text, seems to have gotten most of his education through self-study and learning under the pressure of necessity. He mentions that he had very limited formal education, with no qualifications required of a teacher beyond reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. Despite this, he states that he could read, write, and do arithmetic to the rule of three.
He also mentions that if there was someone in the neighborhood who knew Latin, they were considered a "wizard," suggesting that his education was quite limited compared to more formal schooling. The author further adds that he has picked up additional knowledge and skills over time as the need arose.
It is important to note that the author's education is described in the first person, suggesting that the passage may be a personal account or memoir of someone who had limited access to formal education but managed to acquire knowledge and skills through self-guided learning.