Abraham Lincoln, one of the most revered figures in U.S. history, was born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Kentucky. His parents, Thomas and Nancy Lincoln were farmers who struggled to make ends meet. Lincoln was the couple’s second child and the oldest son.
Lincoln’s early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. His mother died when he was just nine years old, and his father remarried a year later. Lincoln’s relationship with his stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln, was reportedly strained, and he often clashed with his father, who was known to be a harsh disciplinarian.
Despite these challenges, Lincoln was an avid reader and taught himself about a wide range of subjects, including law and politics. He attended school sporadically as a child and received very little formal education, but he made up for it by reading everything he could get his hands on.
In 1830, Lincoln’s family moved to Illinois, and he began working as a clerk in a store owned by a man named Denton Offutt. Offutt was impressed by Lincoln’s intelligence and work ethic, and he asked him to work as a boatman on a flatboat he was planning to take down the Mississippi River. Lincoln agreed, and the journey took him to New Orleans, where he was exposed to a wide range of people and ideas.
Upon his return to Illinois, Lincoln began working as a carpenter and eventually started his own business. In 1834, he was elected to the Illinois state legislature, and he began his path in politics. Over the next few years, he served several terms in the legislature and made a name for himself as a talented speaker and politician.
In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the United States House of Representatives, and he served one term before returning to Illinois to practice law. In 1860, he was nominated as the Republican candidate for President, and he won the election despite receiving only 40% of the popular vote. His victory was a sign of the deep divisions within the country, as the South strongly opposed Lincoln and his anti-slavery views.
Lincoln’s childhood may have been marked by hardship and tragedy, but it laid the foundation for the remarkable career that was to come. Despite his limited formal education, he became a successful lawyer and politician and eventually rose to the highest office in the land. His intelligence, determination, and ability to overcome adversity are just a few of the qualities that have made him one of the most revered figures in American history.