Known as a self-taught lawyer and astute military strategist who strongly opposed slavery, Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of United States who occupied office just before the onset of the American Civil war.
Born on 12th February 1809 in a one room log cabin in Kentucky, United States, Abraham Lincoln was one of the three children of Thomas Lincoln, a descendant of an Englishman who migrated from England. In his early 20s, Lincoln worked on a river flatboat where he witnessed slavery first hand. He then worked as a shopkeeper, postmaster and later on a store owner when he honed his storytelling skills so as to connect with the public. He began to studying law by reading commentaries and other law books, was later admitted to the bar and got his first job. His competence led to his fame as “Honest Abe”. It is this fame and drive in his political career that saw Lincoln earn the title, “One of the greatest Presidents of America. He died on 15th of April 1865 a day after being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a confederate sympathizer.
Lincoln disliked manual labor and preferred reading books over physical work. Growing up under the care of his loving stepmother after the death of his mother at the age of 9, his she spotted his zeal self-study that saw him read and reread particular books. This covered for the opportunity he missed by briefly attending formal education. He made sure to comply by the family’s expectations, giving his father all his earnings until he was 21.
His got his first political connections when he was elected to lead a group of volunteers during the Black Hawk war that broke between United States and Native Americans. Lincoln would later become a member of the Whig Party that supported Government sponsored infrastructure such as modern banking and protective tariffs.
Lincoln would later leave Whig Party for a newly formed Republican party with the intention of ending slavery and see every American enjoy certain inalienable rights regardless of their race. His move paid off when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1862 after which slaves were freed in 10 states.
Lincoln viewed slavery as hindrance to economic development more than it was a moral wrong.
The best way to predict your future is to create it.
Abraham Lincoln
He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.
Abraham Lincoln
Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.
Abraham Lincoln
Important principles may, and must, be inflexible.
Abraham Lincoln
You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.
Abraham Lincoln
I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.
Abraham Lincoln
Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.
Abraham Lincoln
No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.
Abraham Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.
Abraham Lincoln
My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.
Abraham Lincoln
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham Lincoln
You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.
Abraham Lincoln
