"Abraham Lincoln" (1809 – 1865) US President during American civil war

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. He was the son of Thomas and Nancy Lincoln, and the couple had three other children while they lived in Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and he is often referred to as the "Great Emancipator" for his role in leading the nation to abolish slavery.

Lincoln had little formal education, but he was an avid reader and self-taught himself law and politics. He began to practice law in Illinois in 1837 and was elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1834, where he served for four years. In 1846, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served for two years. In 1858, Lincoln was nominated for the U.S. Senate by the Republican Party, and despite losing the election, he gained national attention as a result of his debates with his opponent, Stephen A. Douglas. In 1860, he was nominated again and won the election. As President, Lincoln was dedicated to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared that all slaves in the Confederate states were free. In 1865, he was instrumental in passing the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery throughout the United States. He also signed the Homestead Act of 1862, which allowed settlers to acquire land in the western territories. After the Civil War, Lincoln promoted reconciliation between the North and the South. He even invited his former rival, Stephen A. Douglas, to the White House to discuss policy. In April 1865, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. His death sent shockwaves throughout the nation, and he is still remembered today as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.