Abraham Lincoln is one of the most beloved presidents in American history. His face is on the penny and the five-dollar bill. He has a giant memorial in Washington, D.C. But his story starts in the humblest place imaginable - a tiny log cabin with a dirt floor. Let us learn about the man they called "Honest Abe."

A Log Cabin Beginning

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky. His family was poor. The cabin had no windows, no running water, and a dirt floor. When Abe was seven, his family moved to Indiana, where life was even harder. They lived in a three-sided shelter (basically an open lean-to) for an entire winter before they could build a proper cabin.

When Abe was nine years old, his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died. It was a devastating loss. His father later remarried a woman named Sarah Bush Johnston, who became a wonderful stepmother. She encouraged Abe to read and learn, which changed his life.

Reading by Firelight

Lincoln loved to read more than almost anything. The problem was that books were rare and expensive on the frontier. Abe would walk miles to borrow a book and then read it by firelight at night after a full day of hard labor. He read the Bible, Aesop Fables, Robinson Crusoe, and anything else he could get his hands on.

He taught himself. He had less than one full year of formal schooling in his entire life. Everything he knew about law, history, writing, and politics, he learned on his own through reading. If that does not inspire you as a homeschooler, I do not know what will!

Growing Up Tall

Lincoln grew to be 6 feet 4 inches tall, which was extremely unusual for his time. He was strong from years of splitting wood and farm work. He was also known for his sense of humor and his storytelling. People loved to listen to him talk because he always had a funny story or a clever way of explaining things.

Becoming a Lawyer and Politician

Lincoln moved to Illinois, taught himself law by reading law books, and became a successful lawyer. He was known for his honesty (hence the nickname "Honest Abe") and his ability to argue a case clearly and fairly. He entered politics and eventually ran for President of the United States.

The Hardest Job in History

Lincoln was elected president in 1860, and almost immediately, the country began falling apart. Southern states started leaving the Union because they disagreed about slavery and states rights. By the time Lincoln took office in March 1861, seven states had already seceded. The Civil War began just weeks later.

For four years, Lincoln led the country through its most terrible conflict. Over 600,000 Americans died. Lincoln was heartbroken by the suffering but believed that keeping the Union together and ending slavery were worth fighting for.

In 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that enslaved people in the rebelling states were free. It was a turning point in the war and in American history.

The Tennessee Connection

Here is something local kids should know: when Lincoln ran for his second term in 1864, he chose Andrew Johnson from Tennessee as his vice president. Johnson was from East Tennessee (Greeneville, not too far from us) and was the only Southern senator who stayed loyal to the Union during the Civil War. When Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, Johnson became president. So a man from our part of Tennessee followed one of the greatest presidents in history.

His Legacy

Lincoln was shot at Ford Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865, just days after the Civil War ended. He died the next morning. He was 56 years old.

What Lincoln left behind is extraordinary: - He preserved the United States as one nation - He ended slavery - He proved that someone from the humblest beginnings could rise to the highest office - He showed that honesty, compassion, and determination matter in a leader

Discussion Questions

• Lincoln had almost no formal schooling but became one of our greatest presidents. What does that tell us about education and self-learning?
• Why do you think they called him "Honest Abe"? Why is honesty important in a leader?
• How does knowing about the Tennessee connection (Andrew Johnson) make this history feel closer to home?
• What challenges did Lincoln face that would have been hard for anyone?

Lincoln story reminds us that where you start does not determine where you finish. A boy who read by firelight in a log cabin became the president who saved the Union.