Abraham Lincoln was born Sunday, Feb. 12, 1809, in a log cabin near Hodgenville, Ky.

In New Salem, Ill., where he lived until 1837, Lincoln worked at several jobs and earned the nickname “Honest Abe.”

He made an unsuccessful run for the Illinois Legislature in 1832. He ran again in 1834, 1836, 1838 and 1840, and he won all four times.

Lincoln was a member of the Whig Party. He remained a Whig until 1856, when he became a Republican.

He studied law in his spare time and became a lawyer in 1836.

In Springfield, Ill., in 1839, Lincoln met Mary Todd. Three years later they were married and over the next 11 years had four children: Robert (1843-1926), Edward (“Eddie”) 1846-1850, William (“Willie”) 1850-1862, and Thomas (“Tad”) 1853-1871.

With Mainer Hannibal Hamlin as his running mate, Lincoln was elected the 16th president on Nov. 6, 1860. Lincoln was sworn in on March 4, 1861.

On Jan. 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. This was Lincoln’s declaration of freedom for all slaves in the areas of the Confederacy not under Union control.

On Nov. 19, 1863, Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address which dedicated the battlefield there to the soldiers who had perished.

Lincoln was re-elected as president with Andrew Johnson as his running mate, on Nov. 8, 1864.

On April 9, 1865, Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Uylysses S. Grant.

On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth as the president attended a play entitled “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre. Lincoln was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he died the next day at 7:22 a.m.

Source: Abraham Lincoln Research Site