Second Grade
Worksheets
Honest Abe
Who was the first president of the United States? Most people know. It was George Washington. Who is the president today? Most people know the answer. Who was the sixteenth president? Again, that is one that people remember. It was Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. He was born on February 12, 1809. His parents were farmers. He was born in a one-room log cabin. Abraham was named for his grandfather.
The Lincoln family moved a lot. They first lived in Kentucky. Then they moved to Indiana in 1816. Abraham often heard his parents talk about slaves. They did not like slavery. A slave worked very hard for someone else. He or she was owned by another person. Slaves were bought and sold. Slaves were often treated badly. Lincoln's family moved to get away from slavery. While in Indiana, Abraham's mother died. He was nine years old at the time. Abraham's father married again. Sarah Lincoln treated Abraham as if he were her own son.
Abraham Lincoln only went to school for eighteen months. He mostly taught himself. He loved to read. A story says that he once walked twenty miles to borrow a book. He taught himself how to write. He was good at wrestling. He was good with an ax. He did not like hunting. He did not like fishing. He did not like hurting animals. In 1830, the family moved again. They moved to Illinois.
Abraham left home when he was twenty-two years old. He tried to join the Illinois government. He was not chosen. He ran a small store. He was in charge of the mail. In 1834, he tried to join the Illinois government again. This time he was elected. He was a part of the state government. During this time, he taught himself law. He became one of the best lawyers in Illinois.
