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Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in a log cabin in Hardin Kentucky. His father Thomas Lincoln was a carpenter and farmer who was always very poor. Both of his parents were members of a Baptist congregation which had split from another church because of its views against slavery. This is where Abe first developed his own opposition to slavery. When Abe was nine the family moved to Spencer, Indiana, and his mother Nancy died from milk sickness. Milk sickness was a disease acquired by drinking the milk of cows which had grazed on poisonous white snakeroot. Soon after, Thomas married Sarah Bush Johnston who treated Abe like her own son. Abe had no formal schooling as a child so he ended up teaching himself. Abe loved to read so he spent most of his days out in the fields reading books. In 1831, Abe settled in the village of New Salem, Illinois. He began working in a mill and managing a store where he became popular amongst the members of the community. He impressed residents with his character and earned the nickname "Honest Abe." In 1832 he was chosen captain of a volunteer company gathered for the Black Hawk War, but the company never saw battle. After, he returned to New Salem and became a partner in a grocery store that later failed. This left Abe in debt and forced him to work various jobs such as the village postmaster and rail splitting.
Lincoln's early political career began in 1834 when he was elected to the state legislature where he served four consecutive years. During this time he became a member of the Whig party. In 1836, he received his attorney license and soon became law partners with John T. Stuart. Lincoln's career in law steadily increased because of his great ability to debate and his articulacy of speech.
In 1842 he married Mary Todd. Over the next eleven years they had four children: Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas. In 1847 he ran for the House of Representatives and won. While in...