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Abraham Lincoln is Born
Abraham Lincoln is born in Hardin County, Kentucky. His humble home was a one-room log cabin with dirt floors. Lincoln's father was Thomas Lincoln and his mother was Nancy Hanks. -
The Death of Lincoln's Mother
Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, died when Lincoln was only nine years old. She died from milk sickness. Although Lincoln later said that he owed everything to her guidance, he rarely mentioned her in his conversation or writings. -
Lincoln first milestone in Politics
Lincoln became involved in local politics as a supporter of the Whig Party. Lincoln ran again for the state legislature, and this time he won, with even the Democrats supporting him. His strategy had worked: he issued no platform statement, made no promises, and gave few speeches. Instead, he shook hands, told jokes, and visited nearly every family in the county. -
Lincoln advances in Law and Politics
Abraham Lincoln receives his Law License and passes the state bar exam. The Illinois Supreme Court awarded him a certificate of admission to the bar. He had begun the career that he would stick with for the remainder of his life. Lincoln also was re-elected to the Illinois General Assembly again. -
Lincoln gets his first National Position
In 1846, Lincoln returned to office after leaving to win the Whig nomination for a seat from the Illinois seventh congressional district to the U.S. House of Representatives. He began serving his term the following year. As a congressman, Lincoln was unpopular with many Illinois voters for his strong stance against the U.S. war with Mexico. -
Lincoln goes for U.S. Senate
Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise, allowing individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. At this time, Abe is elected to Illinois legislature but declines the seat in an attempt to become a U.S. Senator. In one of his debates against Douglas, he is denouncing slavery and its extension and calling the institution a violation of the most basic tenets of the Declaration of Independence. -
Lincoln becomes the 16th President
Abraham Lincoln is nominated to be the Republican candidate for President of the United States and is elected as 16th U.S. president. He was the first 'Republican' to become President. He won over 3 other candidates and only got 40% of the popular vote. -
Lincoln Abolished Slavery in Columbia
Abraham Lincoln signed an act abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia. He saw slavery as morally wrong yet held it to be an institution dying under its own weight, to be abolished by voter consent. But, as commander in chief, Lincoln also realized the military expediency of emancipation. He abolished slavery in the District prior to issuing his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. -
Emancipation Proclamation is Issued
In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, reshaping the cause of the Civil War from saving the Union to abolishing slavery. It freed all of the slaves in the rebellious states but left those in the border states (loyal to the Union) in bondage. A lot more African American soldiers volunteered once the purpose of the Union-side of the war switched to fighting against slavery. -
Gettysburg Address
On this day, Lincoln delivered what would become his most famous speech and one of the most important speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address. Addressing a crowd of around 15,000 people, Lincoln delivered his 272-word speech at one of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War. The Gettysburg Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence and the pursuit of human equality. -
Lincoln gets Re-elected
Lincoln was re-elected president after being nominated by the National Union Party. Only one person, former general George B McClellan, ran against him. Lincoln won with over 400,000 votes. He was the first president to be re-elected since 1832. -
Abraham Lincoln is Shot
President Lincoln and his wife Mary go to Ford's Theater to see the play "Our American Cousin". During the third act of the play, John Wilkes Booth shoots the president point blank in the head at approx 10:13 p.m. President Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 in the morning at the boardinghouse across the street. Vice President Andrew Johnson assumes the presidency.
