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On February 12 we celebrate the life of Abraham Lincoln. It was on this day in 1809 that he was born in a log cabin in Kentucky. When he was born, and during his lifetime, slavery was accepted and practiced by many people. He was raised a Baptist which at the time had opposed slavery, so at an early age he began to believe that slavery was wrong.

As he got older, he impressed his neighbors with his kind character and his interest in learning and reading. Because of this, he earned the nickname “Honest Abe.” From 1834 to 1840 he ran for the Illinois legislature and won all four times. He studied law in his spare time and became a lawyer in 1836. Ten years later, Lincoln ran for the United States House of Representatives and won, and during that time he became known for his opposition to slavery. Many people paid attention to what Lincoln had to say about slavery and he gained national recognition. In 1860, Lincoln, who was a Republican, ran for President and won, becoming the 16th United States President.

Lincoln faced one of the most difficult Presidencies of all time. After he was elected, many Southern states, which were in favor of slavery, decided to separate, or secede from the Northern states which were also called the Union. This became a difficult time for Lincoln, who decided to raise an army to fight to keep the Union from falling apart. This fight became known as the Civil War, which lasted for four long years. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, which was Lincoln’s way of giving freedom to all the slaves in the Southern States. In November of that year, he also gave his famous speech called the Gettysburg Address, which was a dedication to the soldiers who had died in battle. Finally on April 9, 1865, the South surrendered and the war was over. Lincoln gave a speech at the White House saying he would support voting rights for blacks. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with Lincoln’s way of thinking, and five days later while attending a play at Ford’s Theatre, he was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth. His assassination was the result of the big differences in the way people thought during that time.

We celebrate this day to remember Lincoln’s role as a great leader in changing the laws and starting the process to end slavery. He was a very important man in history and because of his actions and determination, he plays a major role in how this country exists today.