Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809. He moved to Indiana by the age of seven and lived there for the rest of his youth. His father, Thomas Lincoln, was a farmer and carpenter. When his mother, Nancy Hanks, died in 1818, his father soon remarried to Sarah Bush Johnston. Lincoln grew very close to his stepmother, and she had an important role in urging him to read and learn. He had one sister, Sarah Grigsby, live to maturity.

Abraham Lincoln had only about one year of formal education. He was tutored by various individuals throughout the years, and he also played an important role in his own education. He had a lifelong love of learning and reading.