Abraham Lincoln was born in Indiana in a log cabin. He stepped his first steps and talked his first words there. As he got older, he had to work to support his family. Soon enough, his family moved to Illinois, where he worked his way through the political world. Abraham won the election to state legislature in 1834!

Abraham was a strong supporter of equality and fairness. He was elected because people liked that about him. Abraham was going to change America.

Abraham Lincoln was president during a very tough time in America. Of course, as the hero of our story, he was up to the challenge. Shortly after Lincoln was elected as President, the two sides of America were fighting. Turmoil broke out across the States. The North and South states just could not agree with each other.

Towns, farms and even ships burned as the States feuded. It was a bad time for many people.

It was bad especially for some in the South. Many rich farmers on the Southern side of the United States kept slaves. Slaves had to work and could not leave even though they really wanted to. They were stuck. It was hopeless for them, and the only way they could be free would be if someone stepped up to the cause and did something about it.

Abraham Lincoln was determined to stop this. Abraham had a good heart, and he wanted people to stop fighting. He wanted slaves to be free. He wanted America to be peaceful and fair for all who lived in it.

Abraham had long been an opponent of slavery. He spoke many times about how much he disliked it. As President, he finally had his chance to put an end to it. So Lincoln got right to work. He ran to go meet with his advisors!

Abraham made his way down the streets of Washington. His feet pattered against the cobbled streets.

The door to the office swung open as the men strolled inside. Lincoln and some other men from his cabinet started to write a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. The goal was to set all of the slaves free.

"On the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.." the men wrote.

Abraham deep down in his heart wanted all slaves to be free. But it wouldn't quite work out the way he wanted. Slaves lived far away from Abraham in the South. The Southern states had separated themselves from the North, so the North had very little power there.