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Here's Abraham Lincoln's incredible journey to become the sixteenth president of the United States of America! 1809 - Born February 12 in a log cabin in the backwoods of Hardin County (now Larue County), Kentucky 1816 - He worked to support his family after they were forced out of their home. 1818 - His mother, Nancy Hanks, died. 1831 - Failed in business. 1832 - Defeated for Illinois House of Representatives. 1832 - Lost his job, couldn't get into law school, worked odd jobs. 1832 - Chosen captain of company of volunteers which did not see battle in the Black Hawk War. 1833 - Grocery business failed. Declared bankruptcy, yet paid off the money he borrowed from friends to start his business. 1834 - Elected to Illinois state legislature and served four successive terms (until 1841). 1836 - Obtained license as an attorney. 1837 - Became law partner in Springfield, Illinois, with John T. Stuart. 1838 - Defeated in becoming speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. 1840 - Defeated in becoming elector. 1842 - Married Mary Todd on Nov. 4. They had four sons. 1843 - Defeated for US House of Representatives. 1847 - Served one term in US House of Representatives as a Whig. 1849 - Defeated for US House of Representatives. 1849 - Rejected for the position of Commissioner of the General Land Office. 1849 - Retired from politics. 1855 - Defeated for US Senate as a Whig. 1855 - Became a Republican. 1856 - Considered for vice-president (got less than 100 votes in convention). 1858 - Nominated as the Republican candidate for US Senator from Illinois. 1858 - Challenged Stephen A. Douglas. The seven debates became famous. 1858 - Defeated for US Senate as a Republican, he had made his mark. 1860 - Selected as the Republican candidate for president. 1860 - Elected president of the United States with a minority of the popular vote. 1861 - Inaugurated March 4. 1861 - Seven states had seceded by the time of his inauguration. 1861 - On April 12, Fort Sumter was fired upon and the Civil War had begun. 1863 - Issued Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1. 1864 - Elected to second term as president by a great majority. 1865 - On April 9, Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant signed the terms of Confederate Surrender. 1865 - On April 14, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC. He died the next morning.
