Abraham Lincoln's life story became the stuff of legend as he rose to prominence through sheer grit, determination, and talent. He was born in Kentucky, literally in a log cabin, and moved around from Kentucky to Indiana and from Indiana to Illinois as his father moved around. Lincoln emerged as a national figure, a possible and plausible Republican candidate for president in 1860, after challenging Stephen Douglas to a series of debates in 1858. His anti-slavery views and strong opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act made him a strong candidate, but the issue of slavery was deeply polarizing, and the nation was on the brink of civil war.
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