On February 12, 1809, one of the most influential people in all of American history was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln, also known as Honest Abe, pioneered the many freedoms that we, as Americans, take for granted (Abraham Lincoln 1). To understand the impact Abraham Lincoln had on today's culture, it is necessary to understand how Lincoln's background, actions, and speeches influenced American culture in the 1860s. Abraham Lincoln's early life was difficult to say the least and in many cases painful; the stereotypical story of an American hero. Born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln grew up in a poor farming family. His family's well-being depended not only on the year's crops, but also on owning property. In 1817, a land dispute led to the Lincoln family moving to Perry County, Indiana. There, his family “took public land to make a living in a rude shelter, hunting game and cultivating a small plot” (Abraham Lincoln 1). After some time, Lincoln's father managed to purchase the land. Not long after the purchase, however, Lincoln's mother died of tremetol. Nancy Lincoln's death was absolutely devastating to nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln. His death led Lincoln to distance himself from his father, as did the hard work expected of him. His resentment of laborious pursuits may well have been Lincoln's first awareness of the wrongness of slavery. A few months after Nancy Lincoln's death, Lincoln's father married Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow who already had three children (Abraham Lincoln 1). Abraham Lincoln, illiterate and ignorant, was encouraged by his stepmother, Sarah Johnston, to learn to read and write. He began reading the family Bible and other popular books. As Lincoln began to reach adulthood, he left his family