Abrahan Lincoln (copy) (copy) (copy)

Born: February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Kentucky.
Humble beginnings: Largely self-educated; worked various jobs (farmhand, store clerk, postmaster, surveyor).
Legal career: Became a successful lawyer in Illinois.
Political entry: Elected to the Illinois state legislature (1834) and then to the U.S. House of Representatives (1847).
Key political stance (pre-presidency): Opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories.

Election of 1860: Elected as the 16th U.S. President as a Republican. His election triggered secession by Southern states, leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America.
Preserving the Union: Lincoln's primary goal throughout the Civil War was to preserve the United States as a single nation.
Commander-in-Chief: Led the Union to victory in the Civil War.
- Issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863):
  - Declared enslaved people in Confederate states (states in rebellion) to be free.
  - Changed the nature of the war from solely preserving the Union to also fighting for emancipation.
  - Encouraged African Americans to join the Union Army.
Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863):
- Delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
- Reaffirmed the principles of human equality from the Declaration of Independence and redefined the purpose of the Civil War as a struggle for freedom and democracy.
- Famous line: "…that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Thirteenth Amendment: Advocated for and signed legislation that would eventually lead to the Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery nationwide. The amendment was ratified after his death in December 1865.
Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1865):
- Focused on reconciliation and healing a divided nation.
- Expressed a desire for "malice toward none, with charity for all."