ABraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, and died on April 15, 1865. He was President of the United States from March 1861 through April 15th when he was assassinated. (16th President) He was mainly self-educated and was raised in a poor family. Lincoln was also a leader of the Whig Party, an Illinois Legislator, and worked in the United States House of Representatives. Lincoln also ran for Senate but lost to Stephen A. Douglas, he later on secured a spot and a Republican Representative. Abraham Lincoln contributed to the Civil War by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation which freed the slaves and so that made the South furious. Abraham Lincoln was best known for for his honesty. As you all know he was also known as "Honest Abe," also he was known for ending slavery, freeing all slaves, and winning the Civil War.
Fredrick Douglas
Fredrick Douglas was born on February 17, 1818, and died on February 20, 1895. He was an American orator, writer and statesman. He also was a slave. but after he escaped slavery he became a leader of the abolitionist. Fredrick Douglas was a very strong believer in equality. He really wanted everyone to be treated the same. He wrote lots of books on equality and the South really liked them, but they found them hard to believe since he was black. He once said "I will unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." Fredrick Douglas contributed to the Civil War because he was the one that insisted that the Slaves should fight in the war. Also Douglas and his sons wrote books on letting the slaves fight in the war so that he could convince Abraham Lincoln to do so. Douglas is best known as the most famous abolitionist and Black American in his era.
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Jackson was born on December 29, 1808, and died on July 31, 1875. He was Vice President of the United States and later on became President after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Johnson was always by Lincoln side during the Civil War. Johnson like most people was raised in a poor family. He served as the mayor of his town, but later on moved up into the House of Representatives. He also served as Governor of Tennessee. Johnson was best known for creating his own form of "Presidential Reconstruction," which is a series of proclamations directing the seceded states to hold elections and re-elections to restore the civil government. During the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was the only Senator from a Confederate State who did not leave Congress to return to the South to help. Also during the Civil War he rejoined the Republicans. Johnson was almost impeached during his presidency. He vetoed about 29 bills! However, he was not successfully impeached because 2/3 of Congress failed to impeach him by vote.
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was born on April 22, 1822, and died on July 23, 1885. He was the 18th President from 1861 through 1865 and played a high role in the Civil War. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the KKK and was known as the most decorated General winning the most battles during the Civil War. Grant was also a soldier and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Ulysses S. Grant also fought in the Mexican-American War. He also worked very very hard on trying to protect the newly given civil rights to the freedmen and re uniting the North and the South. Grant's greatest contribution to the Civil War is that he was a major General for the Unions Army and that he was Lincolns "General in Chief."
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was born on July 13, 1821, and died on October 29, 1827. Forrest was a very important leader on the Confederates side and was a member of the KKK. Nathan Bedford Forrest was best known for being the first "Grand Wizard" of the KKK. Forrest later on, as a member of the KKK, Forrest thought that the KKK was becoming too violent so he decided to try to disemband it, but no one else wanted to so he later on withdrew from the organization.