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Birth
Abraham Lincoln was born in a single-room log cabin, Hardin Country, Kentucky. -
Marriage with Mary Todd
Mary Todd married Abraham Lincoln, at her sister Elizabeth's home in Springfield, Illinois. She was 23 years old and he was 33 years of age. -
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House of Representatives for Illinois
He was elected to the House of Representatives for Illinois. During his period in Congress, Lincoln criticised President Folk’s handling of the American-Mexican War. -
Slavery
He saw the slavery question re-emerge as a prominent divisive national issue. Lincoln abhorred slavery and from a political perspective wished to prevent slavery being extended and ultimately be phased out. -
Republican Candidate
Lincoln was nominated as Republican candidate for the Senate. He undertook a series of high-profile debates with the Democratic incumbent Stephen Douglass. Douglass was in favour of allowing the extension of slavery – if citizens voted for it. Lincoln opposed the extension of slavery. -
Cooper Union
Lincoln was also invited to give a notable address at Cooper Union in New York. The East Coast was relatively new territory for Lincoln; many in the audience thought his appearance awkward and even ugly, but his calls for moral clarity over the wrongness of slavery struck a chord with his East coast audience. -
United States' 16th President
Lincoln is widely regarded as one of America’s most influential and important presidents. As well as saving the Union and promoting Republican values, Lincoln was viewed as embodying the ideals of honesty and integrity. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared the freedom of slaves within the Confederacy. -
The Proclamation came into force
Towards the end of the year, many black regiments were raised to help the Union army. -
Ceremony at Gettysburg
After a difficult opening two years, the tide of war started to swing towards the Union forces – helped by the victory at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. -
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United States Constitution
Lincoln helped pass through Congress a bill to outlaw slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was officially signed into law. -
Assassination
Five days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while visiting Ford’s Theatre. Lincoln’s death was widely mourned across the country.
