Abraham Lincoln

This story is about me, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States of America, and how I became to be a very important influence to this nation even after my death.

Some people call me "The Great Emancipator," but you might know me from the penny! Let me tell you my life story from start to end, and if you read long enough you might even learn some fun facts about me.

I was born on February 12, 1809 in my parents one room log cabin at Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. I was the second child to my parents Thomas and Nancy Lincoln.

As a young boy from a poor family, my future seemed to follow in my father's footsteps and become a farmer. However, I was not interested in farming, and at the age of 21 I got a job working on a river flatboat hauling freight in Illinois.

That was not the only job I worked at a young age. I also worked as a shopkeeper and a postmaster. Did I mention, I also joined the military to serve for the Black Hawk War in 1832.

Even though I had experienced different jobs the most interesting jobs to me were in law and politics. I self taught myself law, and in 1836 I passed my bar exam and received my license to practice law.

I spent several years working as a lawyer, but I also spent part of my time in politics and tried to have several different positions in government. Although I did fail more than once that did not stop me!

My hard work payed off when I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on August 3, 1846, and later sworn in on December 6, 1847.

My next major step in government was running for president. On June 16, 1858 I won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. At the convention, I made one of my famous speeches known as the "house divided" speech.

On May 18, 1860 I received the Republican nomination for President of the United States. Shortly after I was elected the 16th president of the United States of America. On March 4, 1861 I was inaugurated.

Becoming president was not an easy job. Many people in the Southern states did not agree with my idea that slavery should be abolished. As a consequence to my firm beliefs the Civil War started on April 12, 1861.

I did my best as president and kept our nation working and progressing, even during a war. I issued many proclamations that helped the war in our favor. My most important proclamation was my final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves living in the eleven Southeren Confedirate states.

On November 19, 1863 I gave my most famous speech known as the "Gettysburg Address".

On November 8, 1864 I was re-elected for my second term as president of the United States of America. During this time I was focused on how our nation would work together after the war and how we would rebuild our buildings and ideas.

I strongly believed that slaves should be free, so I worked on 13th Amendment that would abolish slavery in America. On January 31, 1865 the 13th Amendment was passed!

On April 11, 1865 I gave a speech outside of the White house and spoke about Reconstruction. Not everyone there agreed with my ideas about giving African Americans the same rights as whites, in fact it made some people extremely angry.

That is me giving my speech!

I thought a trip to the local theater with my wife would be a nice night out, so we went to watch the play "Our American Cousin" at Ford’s Theater.

Unfortunately during the play I was shot by John Wilkes Booth, and died the morning of April 15,1865. While it was a sad moment there were plenty of good events that came after!

Shortly after my death the Civil war ended on May 9, 1865! Even though I was not there to celebrate the victory, other people in the government carried out my plans for Reconstruction and putting the nation back together.

Americans even built a monument for me in Washington D.C.!