Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin located in Hodgenville Kentucky on the twelfth of February in the year of 1809. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Lincoln had one older sister (Sarah) who was born in 1807. Three years after Abraham was born, his mother gave birth to a baby boy they named Thomas. The family was faced with devastating turmoil when Thomas died while he was still an infant. When Abe was nine years old he was kicked in the head by a horse, which caused his family to believe him to be dead. He survived, but his mother died a few months later of milk sickness. Thomas, Abraham's father, remarried one year later to a young woman named Sarah Bush Johnston. Sarah was a widow who had three children of her own. Abe became extremely fond of his step mother and developed a great deal of affection towards her. In the years 1820-1822 Lincoln briefly attends school. In 1824 Lincoln began to plow and plant for his neighbors. During the fall and winter seasons he would attend school. Lincoln constantly borrowed books and read during any opportunity possible. On January twentieth of the year 1828 Sarah, Abe's sister, passes away during childbirth. Three months later Lincoln takes his first trip to New Orleans on a flatboat caring farm produce. During this trip Abe experiences a slave auction and is attacked by seven black men attempting to rob him. In March of 1830 Abraham and his family move to Illinois, a two hundred mile journey, and settle along the Sangamon River. Once again Abraham Lincoln's father moves, but this time Abe ventures to New Salem, Illinois. He remained there working as a clerk in the village store. The owner of the store also allowed Lincoln to sleep in the back. While in New Salem, Lincoln also began to participate in a local debating society. Two years after his family had moved to Illinois Lincoln found himself as the candidate for the Illinois General Assembly. He enlists in the Black Hawk war one month later. He was elected Captain of his rifle company, but was forced to reenlist as a private after that company was disbanded. During his three months of service he never fought in a battle. On August sixth he lost the election for the Illinois General Assembly. Lincoln was hit with another blow when the store that he worked at went out of business. He and his partner, William Berry, decided to purchase another village store in New Salem. This store unfortunately however, was extremely unsuccessful and left him instead in serious debt.

Lincoln's experience in New Salem was not an all around unsuccessful one. He did manage to become Postmaster as well as Deputy County Surveyor. He was also finally elected to the Illinois General Assembly on August fourth as a member of the Whig party, at the young age off 24. At this point in his life, Lincoln developed a desire to find a new career and he began to study law. In early 1835 Lincoln is faced with more unpleasant conditions. William Berry (the man he shared the store with) passes away, leaving his debt to Lincoln. Seven months later Lincoln's love interest, Ann Rutledge, passed away at the age of 22 from a fever. Now, however, Lincoln is a leader of the Whig party and is re-elected to the Illinois General Assembly. During his reign he helped to move the state capital from Vandalia to its current location in Springfield. In 1837 he becomes law partners with John Stuart after moving to Springfield. One year after his partnership with Stuart he became involved in a famous murder case defending Henry Truett. For two year he traveled within nine counties in central and eastern Illinois as a lawyer on the eighth Judicial Circuit. In that year he met Mary Todd (his future wife) at a dance when she was twenty-one years old. One year later the two became engaged. Lincoln argued his first case before the Illinois Supreme Court in June of 1840. He was also re-elected to the General Assembly during that year. On August 1, 1843 Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln had their first of four boys, Robert Todd. One year later the Lincolns moved into a house in Springfield and Abe started his own law practice. On March 10, 1846 Edward Baker Lincoln was born, Abe and Mary Todd's second son. Abe was nominated as the Whig candidate for the U.S. Congress this same year, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The four Lincolns moved to Washington, D.C. in 1847. Three years later Edward (Lincoln's oldest son) becomes ill, and died two months later. During the next year Lincoln obtained a reputation as an outstanding lawyer and picks up the nick name "Honest Abe" while traveling with the eighth Judicial Circuit. On December 21, 1850 William Wallace (Willie) was born. One month later Lincoln's father died. In April of 1853 Mary Todd gave birth to their fourth son, Thomas who was also known as Tad. One year later Lincoln's interest in politics was again sparked when he began to oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He was elected to the Illinois legislature, but instead he decided to try to become U.S. Senator. In May of 1856 he began to organize the new Republican party of Illinois. After gaining 110 votes for the vice presidential nomination Lincoln spoke out against the Dred Scott decision. Lincoln became a well-known figure by the year 1858, and increased his political standing after he gave his well-known "House Divided" speech as well as the seven debates he engaged in with Steven Douglas. Lincoln looses to Douglas by a vote of 54 to 56 for a seat in the U.S. Senate. After the Lincoln-Douglas debates were published Lincoln found himself as the Republican nominee for the President of the United States. Once again his opponent was Stephen A. Douglas, as well as Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge. This time however, Lincoln was successful, and became the sixteenth U.S. president. He received 180 of a possible 303 votes, as well as 40 percent of the popular vote to become the first Republican President. On December 20,