'Fallen State to Peak of Success!'

Abraham Lincoln, byname Honest Abe, the Rail-Splitter, or the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States of America. He served as president for 5 years, from 4 March 1861 until his assassination by John Wilkes Booth on 15 April 1865. Lincoln is known primarily for his leadership during the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) and for signing the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order changing the legal status of slaves to ‘free’.

This man was born in 1809.

- In 1816, at the age 7, he was forced to work because his family was expelled.

- In 1818, he lost his mother.

- In 1828, he lost his sister.

- In 1831, he opened his first business and went bankrupt.

- In 1832, he stood in the legislative elections and lost.

- In 1833, he borrowed money to open another business and went bankrupt again.

- In 1835, he met a wonderful woman. He falls in love with her, they get engaged, and she dies.

- In 1836, he entered a dark period of his life: deep depression. He remains bedridden for 6 consecutive months. But he gets up. He gets up and in that same year of 1836 he runs in the legislative elections and loses again.

- In 1840 he presented himself as an elector; he loses.

- In 1842, he met the woman he would end his life with. They fall in love, get engaged, get married and she gives him 4 children and they lose 3 (three).

- In 1843, he appeared at the congresses and lost.

- In 1845, he appeared again at the congresses and lost again.

- In 1850, his son died.

- In 1854, he ran for the Senate and lost.

- In 1856, he ran for Vice President, he didn't even have 100 votes.

- In 1858, he ran again for the Senate and lost again.

And in 1860 *Abraham Lincoln* was elected President of the United States of America. He was elected for two exceptional terms (he was assassinated in the beginning of his second term). He was one of the most respected and impactful Presidents in the history of the United States.

It's important to tell this story of perseverance because we see the hero, but we don't see the backstage of the afflictions.

 

(Collection by:Pappula Surendranath, High Court Advocate, Hyderabad)