Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. In doing so, he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the economy.

Early life

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. He was the second child of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. His family was poor and Lincoln himself only had a year of formal schooling. When he was nine, his family moved to Indiana. In 1818, his mother died of milk sickness and his sister died the following year. His father remarried the next year and Lincoln had a stepsister. In 1828, at the age of nineteen, he moved to New Salem, Illinois to start a business. He was unsuccessful and later became a postmaster. In 1832, he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly as a Whig.

Political career

Abraham Lincoln's political career began in 1832 when he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly as a member of the Whig Party. In 1834, he was reelected and served four terms in total. Lincoln became a leader of the Whig Party in Illinois and was nominated for the United States House of Representatives in 1846. He ran unsuccessfully and then decided to return to Springfield to practice law. In 1854, he joined the new Republican Party and was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. He ran for the United States Senate in 1858 but lost to Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln's election as President in 1860 led to the American Civil War.

Presidency

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. In doing so, he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the economy.

Legacy

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most important and influential figures in American history. He was the 16th president of the United States and is best known for leading the country through the Civil War. Lincoln is also remembered for his many famous speeches, including the Gettysburg Address. After his assassination in 1865, Lincoln's legacy continued to grow. He is now considered one of the greatest presidents in American history.