Abraham Lincoln Childhood Abraham Lincoln is considered by many people to be one of the greatest American presidents. Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Lincoln had two siblings, Sarah and Thomas Lincoln. Sarah was older and Thomas was younger. Thomas died when he was just an infant. When Lincoln was 9, his mother died of milk sickness at the age of 34. Just months after Nancy?s death, Lincoln?s father married Sarah Bush Johnson. Johnson encouraged Lincoln to read, and the two quickly bonded. Some of their neighbors remembered how Lincoln would walk for miles so he could borrow a book. Law Career When Lincoln was 22, he decided to make his own living taking up manual labor. Known for …show more content…
During his term Lincoln spoke out against the Mexican-American War. He also supported Zachary Taylor for presidency in 1848. Since his criticism made him unpopular, he decided to return to being a lawyer instead of running for a second term. Lincoln found himself in a variety of different trials, including one where he proved that his client was innocent. A witness had said that he could identify Lincoln?s client because of the light of a full moon. Lincoln checked an almanac and proved that it was too dark that night for the witness to see …show more content…
With the Union victory at Antietam, Lincoln made the cause of the war getting rid of slavery. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It was more symbolic than anything because the North didn?t control the southern states. By 1864, Lincoln was sure he?d serve for only one term. George B. McClellan challenged Lincoln for the presidency. To Lincoln?s surprise, he got 55% of the popular vote and 212 out of 243 Electoral votes. Then on April 9, 1865, General Ulysses S. Grant defeated General Robert E. Lee, ultimately ending the Civil