Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the US, is often the most admired by historians and politicians alike. As president it was his difficult responsibility to commission and oversee the Civil War and to bring an end to slavery, which he felt was an implied responsibility built into the US constitution. He is known as a great thinker, who tried without success to prevent the war, as well as a heroic figure who changed the course of a nation forever.

Lincoln was born to a poor farming family in Kentucky on 12 February 1809. It’s true he was born in a log cabin, but this is not so uncommon as might be supposed — several presidents before him had also been born in log cabins. As a child he received little formal education, only getting to attend school ocasionally. Lincoln was known for his love of reading — he would walk miles from his home just to borrow books from neighbors.

His family moved to Indiana when Lincoln was seven, partly because no slavery was allowed in Indiana territory and partly because obtaining land was easier. The Lincolns moved again in 1830 to Illinois, a year before Abraham left home. Historians speak of Lincoln’s estrangement from his father, which in part prompted the move, as well as his desire to find a career. Early attempts — though he was undoubtedly a hard worker and raised to be a laborer and farmer — included a stint in the military during the 1832 Black Hawk War.

By 1832, Abraham Lincoln had already become interested in politics. He first ran for office in that year, attempting to gain a seat in the Illinois legislature. Though his first bid for political office was unsuccessful, in 1834, he was elected and served four terms. During that time between 1834-1841, Lincoln studied and became a lawyer, and met his wife, Mary Todd, whom he married in 1842.

Lincoln’s approach to politics was slightly different than the Whig party platform. He was supportive of business and free enterprise, but his background of poverty made him sympathetic to the difficulties encountered by laborers. Abraham Lincoln was never an outright abolitionist, but he did oppose slavery on constitutional grounds and as a moral evil. He was particularly a strong constitutionalist, especially in his early years. Though he served in the US House of Representatives from 1847-49, he was almost ready to give up on politics altogether by the end of his last term.

In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which would permit slavery in the North. Abraham Lincoln deeply opposed the passage of this act and his interest in politics was reinvigorated. After the death of the Whig Party, Lincoln joined the Republican Party in 1856, and in 1858 was elected as a US Senator. Two years later, when he was elected President, he was a dark horse candidate facing enormous problems in the country. By the time he took the oath of office, seven states had already seceded from the US, and Lincoln’s first efforts were toward reuniting the country. This changed rapidly when Southerners attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

As the president overseeing the war, Abraham Lincoln often agonized over the necessity of the war. However, he proved himself an able Commander in Chief. Some of his actions have been strongly criticized, among them, the suspension of habeas corpus and the arrests of over 13,000 people who were viewed as Southern supporters. On the other hand, his support of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, has been hailed by most historians as one of the most important pieces of legislation in American history.

Lincoln wanted to quickly reestablish peace between North and South, offering pardons to anyone who would sign an oath of allegiance to the US. He did not favor vicious retribution against Southerners. Whether he would have accomplished more in his second term in office is a debate long held. Unfortunately, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln in 1865, just five days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses Grant, signaling a full end to the war.

Abraham Lincoln became the martyr to the cause he had long supported, peace in all states and an end to slavery. Though he advocated “malice toward none” as the Civil War came to a close, maliciousness in the form of the racist sentiments of Booth took his life. Many historians conclude that Lincoln’s premature death occurred at a time when his moderate views and advocacy for peace were needed most.