Biography Study
Let's Meet Abraham Lincoln
I want to officially introduce you to Abraham Lincoln. Born in a one-room log cabin in 1809 in Kentucky, Lincoln came from humble beginnings where he learned at a young age the value of hard work. His parents could not read or write, and Lincoln spent little time in local schools because he had to work to help support his family. Instead of going to school to learn reading, writing, and math, Lincoln taught himself by reading using books that he borrowed. When he was not working on his family’s farm, he loved to learn and was an avid reader. One of his friends from childhood described Lincoln’s red eyes and messy hair that he got from staying up all night reading.
When he was still a young boy, Lincoln’s family moved to Indiana. Later, Lincoln described his time in Indiana, and said, “It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up… Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher…but that was all.” Not only did Lincoln grow his mind, but he also grew in size! He stood six feet four inches tall and wore a size 14 shoe!
Lincoln and his family moved to Illinois in 1830 where he worked on a river flatboat, as a shopkeeper, and as a postmaster before his election to the Illinois state legislature in 1834. He taught himself law, passed the bar, and became a lawyer in 1836; ten years later, Lincoln was elected as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives. Abraham Lincoln was a man of such moral integrity that he earned the nickname, “Honest Abe.”
In 1860, Lincoln ran for president and won! His goals were to help keep America united together and to make America a nation where people could be free. He worked hard to keep the values our Founding Fathers built America on. Lincoln’s hard work and honesty helped him achieve his goals and earn the trust and support of those around him.
