Above drawing depicts President Abraham Lincoln presenting the draft
of his proclamation to his Cabinet. In it Lincoln stated, “as a fit and
necessary military measure, on January 1, 1863, all persons held
as slaves in the Confederate States will thenceforward, and
forever, be free.”

   
                       Page one of the Proclamation

  
   A picture of the actual pen used by Lincoln to sign the Proclamation

Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States,
following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. He
was in office from 1865 until 1869. Johnson was the first  U.S.
President to be impeached. Most political historians rated him
as being among the worst of this countries presidents.

An artists illustration of Johnson’s impeachment trial in the United
States Senate.

President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address as he
dedicated a national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield
in Pennsylvania.