Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, who ruled the country from 1861 until his death in 1865, looks at us from every five dollar bill. Any American schoolchild knows Lincoln's biography, and his Gettysburg speech is carefully studied and serves as a topic for essays.
Who was Abraham Lincoln? His biography begins in 1809. He was born in a poor farm hut, which is now protected as a national treasure. For the boy's father, his very desire for knowledge was amazing, from the books in the family there were only the Holy Bible, the alphabet and the catechism. Abraham became the first of the Lincolns to become literate. But his father, who could neither read nor write, was nevertheless able to convey two important character traits to his son: he taught him to respect people and love to work.
Abraham Lincoln could not get a school education, was prevented by extreme financial constraints and frequent moves in search of a better life. In 1816, the family of the future president left their home state of Kentucky and moved to Indiana. Mother died, father remarried.
In Indiana, Abraham Lincoln worked as a ferryman, took people for $6 a month throughOhio river. Then there was Illinois and a trip down the Mississippi that instilled a hatred of slavery.
Lincoln's political career began when he volunteered for a militia fighting against the Indians who were harassing the people of New Salem. He was elected to the state legislature. Things were difficult there, and there were fights. Having once again separated the conflicting parties, Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech, the idea of which was a call for a parliamentary culture. The speech was very successful, but put an end to his career in this respected assembly. Surviving somehow and borrowing money, he always repaid his debts, for which he was nicknamed "honest Abe".
In 1835, he re-entered the Illinois legislature, trained as a lawyer, and won authority with his eloquence. By opposing the slave trade and the war with Mexico, Abraham Lincoln made many political opponents.
1856 was Lincoln's year of nomination for vice president of the United States. It was not successful, but the politician's popularity grew. Having delivered a speech in Springfield (1858), in which there was an expression "a house that is split inside, will not stand", he actually spoke out against the split of the country into a slave-owning South and an industrial North. In 1860, the new President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was elected. His nationality caused some controversy, but it should be noted that despite the name, he was not a Jew.
In March next year, speaking outside a building not yet completedCapitol in Washington, Lincoln, already elected president, again called for reconciliation of southerners, but his speech, although brilliant, was not received. On April 12, Fort Sumter was bombarded with artillery, and the civil war began - the bloodiest conflict in American history. Four years of fighting led to the defeat of the Confederate army and the victory of the northerners. Throughout the war, Lincoln led the country, showing versatile talent and outstanding strong-willed qualities. In 1864 he was elected president for the second time.
It's only been five days since victory in the Civil War was declared and Abraham Lincoln was shot dead by Booth, a Confederate who was screaming that he had avenged the South. Soon he himself was killed by guards.
Abraham Lincoln was a supporter of the equality of all people and a great humanist. He remains the most revered president in the United States today.
