Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the USA. Like George Washington, he
takes a special place in the list of American presidents.
Abe grew up in the Middle West. His first home was a small one-room house in
the woods. His family were pioneers who helped to fight Indians and push the
borders of the US farther west. The family lived in poverty. His parents moved
from Kentucky to Indiana when he was 7, and this was his home for 14 years.
Thomas Lincoln, Abe’s father hoped to make a better living there. Soon the
mother died. Abe and his sister were lonely until their father married again.
Abe’s stepmother encouraged the to study. Although he had little chance to go to
school, he liked to read. He taught himself by reading the books he could get,
such as the Bible, Aesop’s “Fables” and “Robinson Crusoe”. He often walked miles
to borrow a book.
Abe grew fast. He learned to do the hard work of pioneer, such as to cut
trees, and take care of the crops. He usually won in tests of strength with
other boys. Everyone liked him and everyone said he was a born story-teller. But
no one could say that this shy young man with the quite voice would become one
of the greatest American presidents.
When Abe was 21 the family moved to Illinois. From then on, Abe called
Illinois his home. For a while he worked in a store. Later he joined the militia
and fought in an Indian War. After the war he walked home with an educated young
lawyer. This new friend gave Abe advice to study law.
Abraham Lincoln became a lawyer and a politician. Many people brought their
problems to him. They began to call him “honest Abe” and trusted him to do what
was right and honest. He was also an excellent speaker . he was elected to the
House of Representatives in US Congress. In 1861 he became 16th American
president. In the same year the Civil war began, so Lincoln had to lead the
country through the 4 terrible years of war. He wanted the northern and southern
states to stay together and he hated slavery. In 1863 he signed the Emancipation
Proclamation – the document that made all slaves free. This was a great event in
the history of USA. In 1865 the North won the Civil War. Five days after the War
ended, president Lincoln was shot in the Ford’s Theater, Washington.