Abraham Lincoln's Accomplishments

To a vast majority Abraham Lincoln is undoubtedly one of the greatest presidents the United States ever had. Known for his Emancipation Proclamation speech providing the first steps into the abolition of slavery and favoring the Thirteenth Amendment. You can easily understand why so many people consider him to be one of the best presidents our country has had. Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin county, Kentucky on February 12, 1809 (whitehouse.gov). His father, Thomas Lincoln, was a farmer from Virginia along with his mother Nancy Lincoln. When Abraham was eight his family moved to Indiana in December of 1816. Two years later in October his mother passed away from milk-sickness, which is caused from drinking milk from cows that have eaten

After practicing law for six years Abraham married Mary Todd on November 4, 1842. In the summer of 1856 Lincoln received 110 votes for Vice President, but John C. Fremont’s running mate, William L. Dayton won the nomination. Although Lincoln’s attempt for the Vice Presidency failed, he was nominated as the Republican Candidate on May 18, 1860. Finally on November 6, 1860, Abraham was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States (abrahamlincoln.org). By Lincoln’s inauguration several southern states had seceded from the union and formed the Confederate States of America. On April 12, 1861, the civil war had started. On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln called to the union for 75,000 militiamen. In his proclamation to the union, Lincoln appealed “to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our National Union.” Lincoln wanted to overpower the confederacy to try to put an end to the civil war and by calling for 75,000 men would do so. After summing for volunteers, Lincoln announced the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which stated that all slaves in rebellious parts of the

Fredrick Douglass demanded that there be equal treatment and pay for African American soldiers. Later Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address and had another meeting with Fredrick Douglass in the following months. In November of 1864, Lincoln was reelected as president. In the following month Lincoln, stressed congress to pass the Thirteenth Amendment. The Thirteenth Amendment states "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." (loc.gov). In President Lincoln’s second Inaugural Address he urged the country to “bind up the nations wounds” and “to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace.” (abrahamlincoln.org). April 11, 1865, Abraham Lincoln addressed the nation with a speech about reconstructing the nation. His reconstruction speech would be his last. On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, during the play “Our American Cousin”. After shooting Lincoln Booth jumped down from the balcony on to the stage and shouted “Sic Semper Tyrannis” which is latin for “thus always to tyrants”. Lincoln would survive through the night but died the following day on April 15, 1865 at 7:22 a.m.