Abraham Lincoln: An American Hero

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Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He is regarded as an American hero due to his role as a savior of the Union and emancipator of the slaves. His rise from humble beginnings to becoming President of the United States is a remarkable story. He was assassinated during a time his country desperately needed him.

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin Country, Kentucky on February 12, 1809.

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln delivered his the Emancipation Proclamation, re-shaping the cause of the Civil War from saving the Union to abolishing slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation stated that all individuals who were held as slaves shall be freed.

On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered his most famous …show more content…

He used his term in office to speak out against the Mexican-American War and supported Zachary Taylor for President in …show more content…

This political understanding led him to his early views on slavery as an impediment to economic development.

In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Comprise, allowing individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. The law provoked violent opposition in Kansas and Illinois, and it gave rise to the Republican Party. Lincolns view on slavery moved more toward moral indignation. Lincoln joined the Republican Party in 1856.

In 1860, political operatives in Illinois organized a campaign Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. On May 18, at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Lincoln surpassed better known candidates. Lincoln's nomination was due to his moderate views on slavery, his support for improving the national infrastructure, and the protective tariff. Lincoln received not quite 40 percent of the popular vote, but carried 180 or 303 Electoral votes.

Following his election in 1860, Abraham Lincoln selected a strong cabinet composed of many political rivals. Lincoln's Cabinet became one of the strongest assets in his first term in