=The Leading Facts.= _1._ Lincoln, born of poor parents in the state of Kentucky, went over to Indiana at seven years of age. _2._ Helped build a cabin and clear the forest and went hunting. _3._ Lincoln lost his mother, and his father married again. _4._ His stepmother took good care of Abe and his young sister. _5._ Lincoln had little schooling, but read a few books thoroughly. _6._ He was physically strong at twenty-one, and he had read so much that he could "spell down" the whole country. _7._ The family moved to Illinois, and Abe was hired to take a flatboat down the Mississippi. _8._ He saw a slave auction at New Orleans. _9._ Lincoln was elected captain in the Black Hawk War; elected to the legislature for four terms. _10._ He studied law and was elected to Congress. _11._ Attacked Douglas for the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. _12._ Lincoln and Douglas held joint debates. _13._ Nominated for the presidency by the Republicans in convention at Chicago. _14._ Douglas displeased the South and the Democratic party was split. _15._ Lincoln was elected president, the South seceded, and Douglas stood by the Union. _16._ The battle between the _Merrimac_ and the _Monitor_ ushered in the age of the ironclad war vessel. _17._ Grant defeated Lee, and Lee surrendered. _18._ Lincoln went to the Ford Theater in Washington, and was assassinated. _19._ Johnson started to carry out Lincoln's plans for reconstruction, but Congress interfered, and tried to impeach him. _20._ Johnson caused the French to withdraw from Mexico, and bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7,200,000. _21._ The South was slow in recovering from the effects of the war.