Abraham Lincoln was a transformative leader who guided the United States through its most challenging period and fundamentally changed the course of American history.

His life was marked by a series of significant struggles. Here are 10 of the most prominent:

• Early Poverty and Limited Education:
  • Lincoln’s childhood was characterized by poverty and a lack of formal education. He had to work hard from a young age, and his learning was largely self-taught.
• Business Failures:
  • He experienced significant business setbacks, including a failed general store venture, which left him with substantial debt.
• Political Defeats:
  • Lincoln faced numerous electoral defeats throughout his political career, including losses in races for the U.S. Senate.
• Personal Losses:
  • He endured the deaths of loved ones, including his mother, sister, and two of his sons, which caused him deep emotional pain.
• Mental Health Struggles:
  • Lincoln was known to experience periods of melancholy and depression, which added to his personal challenges.
• The Weight of the Presidency:
  • As president, he bore the immense burden of leading the nation through the Civil War, one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.
• The Challenge of Slavery:
  • He grappled with the moral and political complexities of slavery, facing intense pressure from both pro-slavery and abolitionist factions.
• Maintaining National Unity:
  • His primary goal was to preserve the Union, which required him to navigate deep divisions and animosity between the North and South.
• Military Challenges:
  • He faced the constant challenge of finding effective military leadership to win the Civil War, dealing with the frustrations of inconsistent results from his generals.
• Political Opposition:
  • He faced constant political opposition, from those that opposed the war, to those that felt he was not doing enough to end slavery.

These struggles highlight Lincoln’s remarkable resilience and determination, which ultimately contributed to his enduring legacy.

In Defense Of Justice and Loyalty

On a warm summer evening in 1857, a young man named William “Duff” Armstrong was arrested for murder in a small Illinois town. According to witnesses, Armstrong had struck James Metzker with a “slung-shot” (a weight tied to a leather strap) during a late-night brawl at a camp meeting. Metzker died three days later, and Armstrong faced the gallows.

When news of the arrest reached Hannah Armstrong, Duff’s widowed mother, she was devastated. Years earlier, when Abraham Lincoln was a struggling young man with no fixed home, Hannah and her husband Jack had welcomed him into their cabin. Lincoln had rocked their children’s cradle, including young Duff’s, while Hannah cooked his meals. Now, with her son facing execution, she wrote to her old friend who had since become a prominent lawyer.

Upon receiving Hannah’s letter, Lincoln—despite his busy schedule and the fact that Armstrong couldn’t afford to pay him—immediately replied: “I will defend your son, and I won’t charge you a cent.” He traveled to the small town of Beardstown to take the case personally.

The evidence against Armstrong seemed overwhelming. The prosecution’s key witness, Charles Allen, testified under oath that he had clearly seen Armstrong strike Metzker with the deadly weapon. When Lincoln asked how he could see so clearly at night, Allen confidently stated that there had been a bright moon, high in the sky, illuminating the scene.

Lincoln listened patiently. When his turn came for cross-examination, he asked Allen to repeat exactly what he had seen and when. Allen again emphasized the bright moonlight that had allowed him to witness the crime. Lincoln then produced an almanac and showed the court that on the night in question, the moon had been low on the horizon and was beginning to set—not bright and high as Allen had claimed.

The courtroom fell silent as the jury realized the key witness had lied. Lincoln went on to demonstrate that Metzker’s death was likely caused by a fall from his horse after the fight, not from Armstrong’s blow. The jury deliberated for just one hour before returning with a verdict of “not guilty.”

When the verdict was announced, Hannah Armstrong broke down in tears. Lincoln, with characteristic humility, refused any payment, saying he had merely repaid an old debt of friendship.

This case illustrated not just Lincoln’s brilliant legal mind, but his unwavering commitment to justice and loyalty to those who had shown him kindness when he had nothing. It demonstrated the character that would later guide him through the nation’s darkest hour as president, showing that true greatness often reveals itself in how we treat those who cannot repay us.

The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of liberty.

• Abraham Lincoln

Continuous Self-Improvement through Reading: Lincoln was a voracious self-learner who would read extensively despite having limited formal education. He would often study law books by candlelight, carrying books with him and reading during breaks. His habit of continuous learning and self-education became a cornerstone of his personal development and eventual success in law and politics.