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These are the days of Abraham Lincolns death and birth. -
Lincoln is Elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
This was Lincoln's first time holding political office. He would eventually be elected to a total of five terms. This event is largely seen as the beginning of his political career. -
Lincoln becomes a Lawyer
This was Lincolns first step in a career of public service. He studied off of law books that he borrowed, and he received his license to practice law before the Illinois Supreme Court. This was only the first of his many licenses he obtained over his career. -
Lincoln Marries Mary Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd on November 4th, 1842. They got married at her sisters home in Springfield, Illinois. Together they had four children. -
Lincoln is Elected to Congress
After serving four terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, Lincoln started gaining notoriety. He spoke on behalf of Henry Clay and attended Whig party conventions. This eventually led to his successful campaign into Congress. -
The First Lincoln-Douglas Debate
This was the first of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Lincoln was running against Douglas for his position as a U.S. senator. He greatly improved his speaking abilities throughout this tour of debates. He did, however, lose the senate race. -
Lincoln's First Presidential Inauguration
Lincoln won the presidency in the election of 1860. His opponents were Douglas, Breckinridge, and Bell. This election showed a strong divide between the north and south because Lincoln only won Northern states. He was the 16th President of the U.S. -
Battle of Bull Run
This was the first battle of the Civil War. It showed that the war would be long and hard fought. This was the start of Lincoln's greatest challenge as President. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
This was by far the most famous document issued under Lincoln's presidency. It was a document of many purposes. Firstly, it guaranteed that any slaves captured in the territory of rebelling state were given freedom. Secondly, it made this a war about slavery in order to keep Britain and France from helping the South. -
Gettysburg Adress
After the defeat of Southern forces at Gettysburg, Lincoln gave one of his most famous speeches. This speech was meant to show the sacrifice of the soldiers was not to be forgotten. It was very short, yet it made extremely powerful points. He encouraged people to keep fighting and to bring the war to an end. -
Lincoln is Assassinated
The assassination of President Lincoln took place at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C.. It is the most famous assassination in American history. He was shot in the head, while watching a play, by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln died before he could see the war officially come to an end.
