Abraham Lincoln
When we talk about important figures in the history of America, the name Abraham Lincoln just has to be mentioned. One of the most popular people to have ever lived, Abraham Lincoln assumed office as the 16th President of the United States, and the milestones that he achieved in office were able to alter the course of the future of the country for many years to come. Born on the 12th of February in 1809, Lincoln died at the relatively early age of 56, on the 15th of April in 1865. However, in his comparatively short life span, he showed to the world that you only need a few years to bring about changes that would forever alter the lives of millions of people.
Born in to a poor family based on the western frontier Lincoln taught himself and became a lawyer, from whereon he then became state legislator and a leader of the Whig Party during the 1830s. He had also become a member of the Congress for the first time by the 1840s. Lincoln was a major promoter of rapid modernization of the economy with the means of banks, canals, tariffs and railroads and also encouraged the building of factories. Lincoln was also against the war that took place against Mexico in 1846.
However, he lost the US Senate to Stephen Douglas, who was his primary rival at the time. Regardless, he persisted on with his endeavors, and in 1860, he was elected as the President of the United States. By 1861, war had broken out between the Confederates and the Union, and at this point in time, Lincoln was focused upon reuniting the nation. Lincoln even managed to avert the intervention of the British as he managed to defuse the Trent Affair in the latter parts of 1861. By 1863, Lincoln was primarily focused upon abolishing slavery from the country, and he made numerous complex movies which resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, which allowed the use of the Army in order to protect the slaves, as well as promoted the states on the border to abolish slavery.
Lincoln was a highly astute politician, and faced massive opposition due to the power issues that existed in every state. He reached out to the War Democrats (those who supported the North in its opposition of the South), and also took control of his own presidential re- election in 1864. Lincoln got right in the face of the Radical Republicans who wanted to get harsher treatment of the South, as well as the War Democrats who were looking for a compromise. He appealed directly to the people of America with his oratory powers, and was instrumental in the careful planning of political patronage. The Gettysburg Address, which he gave in 1863, became one of the most defining and iconic speeches of the dedication of the country to the principles of equal rights, nationalism, democracy, liberty, republicanism and nationalism. To this day, scholars regard Abraham Lincoln as one of the finest presidents of the United States.
