Abraham Lincoln

                                                          Abraham Lincoln

                                                             
Abraham Lincoln was an American statesman and lawyer who served as the 16th president of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. 
Born: February 12, 1809, Hodgenville, KY
Height: 6′ 4″
Assassinated: April 15, 1865, Petersen House, Washington, D.C.
Presidential term: March 4, 1861 – April 14, 1865

Abraham Lincoln Famous Quotes:
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.”
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”

February 12th is Abraham Lincoln's birthday and I just wanted to share a few things about him and his famous quotes that I like.

What is Abraham Lincoln most known for?
Abraham Lincoln Presidency

Lincoln won the 1860 election and was inaugurated as president in March of 1861. The southern states did not want Lincoln to be president. They did not agree with his policies. Before he was officially in office, they began to secede (leave the country). The first state to leave was South Carolina, but soon six more states followed and together they formed a new country called the Confederacy. This all happened after Lincoln won the election, but before he took the oath of office.

The Civil War

The Civil War began on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter in South Carolina just a month after Lincoln took office. Lincoln was determined to maintain the "Union" of the states. He called for an army from the northern states to defeat the south. What followed was a bloody war that lasted four years and cost the lives of 600,000 Americans. Lincoln faced all sorts of opposition during the war, but managed to hold the country together.

The Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863 Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This was an order that freed the slaves in the Confederate States. Although not all the slaves were immediately set free, it paved the way for the 13th Amendment which would free all slaves in the United States a few years later.

Gettysburg Address

Today, Lincoln is often remembered for a short speech he gave at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863. It's called the Gettysburg Address. It was only a few minutes long, but is considered one of the great speeches in American history.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln Assassinated
at the Ford Theatre
by Currier & Ives
The Civil War Ends

The Civil War finally ended on April 9, 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Lincoln wanted the country to heal, forgive, and rebuild. He wanted to be generous to the southern states in helping them during the reconstruction. Unfortunately, he would not live to see the country rebuild.

How did he die?

President Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at the Ford Theatre in Washington D.C. He died the next day on April 15, 1865.