ReMaking History, Volume 2, 1st Edition

Chapter 3 Abraham Lincoln and the Campaign Torch

Although it is a simple device, the torch has a uniquely long-lived importance in human history. Few things that we still use today were invented so long ago. In fact, in some parts of the world, the fire from a flaming torch was the dominant source of illumination for 99 percent of human history.

Even today, from the Olympic Games to the Statue of Liberty, the torch remains one of the most important and significant symbols in cultures throughout the world. Invariably, it remains a positive symbol, representing life, hope, and goodwill. Maybe that’s why torches were once so important to the ...