Abraham Lincoln
By: Yelena Koos & Audrey Scott
Early Years-
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. He had little education apart from frequently reading as he helped on the family farm and maintained a store in Illinois. Even before he became President, Lincoln was involved with the government and its practices. In 1836, he officially became a lawyer, and was allowed to practice law. Ten years later (in 1846), he was elected for the US House of Representatives. However, after his two-year term in Congress, he never ran for re-election. He married a woman by the name of Mary Todd, and had four children: Robert Todd, Edward (Eddie) Baker, William (Willie) Wallace, and Thomas (Tad).
Abe's Family
(From left to right)
Mary Todd, William Wallace, Robert Todd, Thomas, and Abraham Lincoln.
Congress
Abe served in the House of Representatives from 1846-1848, and never ran after.
http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/photo_credits.asp?photoID=315&subjectID=3&ID=56
The family
Part of Abraham's family is captured in wax figures at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield (ALPLM).
Contribution to the Civil War-
First of all, he was the president during the majority of the Civil War, but sadly died before the end of it. On January 1st, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves in rebelling (Confederate) states. Then, on November 19th, 1863, he spoke his famous Gettysburg Address. The address drew attention to the bloodiest battle in the war, Antietam.
Life After the Civil War-
Sadly, Abraham Lincoln died before the war ended. He died on April 15th, 1865, in Ford's Theatre. He and his wife Mary were in the middle of watching a play, when he was shot at point blank by John Wilkes Booth. His family line didn't continue much longer, either. Edward died in 1850, William in 1862, and Thomas in 1871. Only Robert lived to be an adult, and the last of his descendants died in 1985. Therefore, he has not descendants alive today.