lebron james -Bio

lebron james

LeBron James biography





Synopsis
Born on December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James showed an early talent for basketball and began to earn a reputation as a prodigy of the sport in high school. James was the first player picked (by the Cleveland Cavaliers) in the 2003 NBA draft. During the 2003-04 season, he became the first member of the Cavalier franchise and the youngest player (at age 20) to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. James played on the 2004, 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic basketball teams, winning a team bronze medal and two team golds overall. He has also achieved a number of NBA records, including becoming the youngest player to score 20,000 points at age 28, in January 2013.

High School Basketball Star
LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio. At an early age, he showed a natural talent for basketball. James was recruited by St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to join their basketball team in 1999.
As a freshman, James averaged 18 points per game. He helped the team to a Division III state title by scoring 25 points in the championship game. Word of his advanced basketball skills spread, and James received several honors for his performance. As a high school sophomore, he was chosen for the USA Today All-USA First Team. James was the first sophomore ever selected for this award. He team also won the Division III state title for the second year in a row.
The following school year, James was named PARADE magazine's High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year. Sportswriters were comparing him to such legendary basketball stars as Michael Jordan. Following the end of his junior year, James was such a strong player that he contemplated going pro.
Deciding to finish his education, James had a tremendous senior year on the court. He averaged 31.6 points per game, helping his team clinch their third state title. The team also earned the top national ranking that year. Overall, James scored 2,657 points, 892 rebounds and 523 assists during his four years at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He would soon emerge as one of the National Basketball Association's leading players.

Career with Cleveland Cavaliers
With his impressive record, it was no surprise that James was the first player picked in the 2003 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed the powerful young forward, and he proved to be a valuable addition to the then-struggling franchise. The team had ended the previous season in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Around this time, James also signed several endorsement deals, including one with Nike for $90 million.
During the 2003-04 season, James made history, becoming the first member of the Cavalier franchise to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He also became the youngest NBA player (at only 20 years old) to receive this honor. Additionally, James, averaging 20 points per game at this time, became one of only three rookies to accomplish this feat, putting him in the same company as Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.




During the summer of 2004, James made his Olympic debut at the Summer Games in Athens, Greece, as part of the U.S. Olympic basketball Team. He and his teammates won bronze medals after defeating Lithuania. Argentina took home the gold after beating Italy in the finals.
Outside of his basketball career, James went through some changes in his personal life around this time. He became a father for the first time in October 2004, when he and girlfriend Savannah Brinson welcomed a son, LeBron Jr.

NBA Star
James continued to excel professionally in the NBA the following season, upping his average points per game to 27.2. He made NBA history again in 2005, when he became the youngest player to score more than 50 points in one game. He was selected for the NBA All-Star game for the first time, a feat he would repeat several times over the next few seasons.
In 2006, James helped his team defeat the Washington Wizards in the first round of playoff action. From there, the Cavaliers took on the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James scored an average of 26.6 per game in this postseason match-up, but it wasn't enough to secure victory for his team. While his team wasn't at the top of rankings, James himself continued to receive special recognition for his abilities. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the NBA All-Star Game in 2006. That same year, James reached a new contract agreement with the Cavaliers, which runs until 2010.
The Cavaliers proved to be stronger competitors the following season, making it all the way to the NBA finals, beating out Detroit to win the Eastern Conference. In the finals against the San Antonio Spurs, however, the Cavaliers lost their championship bid in four consecutive games. Also during this time, James became a father for the second time. His girlfriend, Savannah Brinson, gave birth to their son, Bryce Maximus, in June of 2007.
During the 2007-08 season, James continued to help the Cavaliers improve their standing in the Eastern Conference. The team made it to the semifinals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in seven games. In terms of individual performance, James had a stellar year, outperforming such rival players as Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson by scoring an average of 30 points per game, the highest average in the NBA regular season.

Career with Miami Heat
That summer, James traveled to Beijing, China to play with the likes of Bryant, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade on the U.S. Olympic Basketball Team. This time around the U.S. team brought home the gold after defeating Spain in the final round.
Early in the 2008-09 season, sports journalists and fans began talking about James's future in the sport. He had the option to become a free agent in 2010, and there was much discussion as to where James may end up. Some journalists identified the New York Knicks as a potential suitor for the rising player.




James made several references to his impending free agent status, but he was sure to downplay the matter. "I am focused on the team that I am on right now and winning a championship ... I don't think about making a change at this point," James told reporters.
Shortly after becoming a free agent, however, James announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat for the 2010-11 season. His fans in Cleveland were less than pleased, and many considered his departure a betrayal to his hometown. Soon after James's announcement, Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter declaring James's decision as "selfish", "heartless" and a "cowardly betrayal." Unfazed, James finished second in the league during his first season with the Heat, scoring 26.7 points per game.
The 2011-12 season also saw major success for James and the Miami Heat, which ended the season with an NBA Championship win, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder (121-106) in Game 5 of the finals, on June 21, 2012. It was James's first NBA championship win. In the final game, James scored 26 points, and had 11 rebounds and 13 assists. "I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland but I understood what my future was about," James told FOX Sports following the game. "... I knew we had a bright future (in Miami)."
James competed at his third Olympic Games in 2012, at the Summer Olympics in London, along with teammates Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, as well as several other top players. The U.S. basketball team took the gold medal—James's second consecutive Olympic gold.
During the 2012-13 season, James made NBA history yet again: On January 16, 2013, at age 28, he became the youngest NBA player to score 20,000 points, succeeding Kobe Bryant of the Lakers—who became the youngest player to reach 20,000 points at age 29—for the distinction. James made a jump shot the final seconds of the game, bringing his scoring total 20,001 and leading the Heat to a 92-75 victory over the Warriors. James is only the 38th player in NBA history to achieve this feat.
Throughout his NBA career, LeBron James has been considered one of the best players in the league, and has been compared to basketball great Michael Jordan.

Personal Life
Outside of the NBA, James has worked to help others. He established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004, along his mother Gloria, to help out children and single-parent families in need. Among its many programs, the organization builds playgrounds in economically disadvantaged areas and hosts an annual bike-a-thon.

lebron james

Quick Facts

• NAME: LeBron Raymone James
• OCCUPATION: Basketball Player
• BIRTH DATE: December 30, 1984 (Age: 28)
• EDUCATION: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Akron, Ohio
• AKA: LeBron James
• ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn

Best Known For

LeBron James, one of the NBA's leading players, is the youngest player to win the Rookie of the Year Award, among several other distinctions. He led the Miami Heat to an NBA champion victory in 2012.

---

lebron james

susan e rice -Bio

susan e rice

Susan E. Rice biography





Synopsis
Born in Washington, DC, on November 17, 1964, Susan E. Rice started her government career in 1993 with the National Security Council in Washington, DC, as the director of international organizations and peacekeeping. Her mentor, Madeline Albright, recommended Rice for the post of assistant secretary for African affairs in 1997 under President Clinton. She is currently the UN ambassador for the US.

Early Life
U.N. Ambassador, foreign policy advisor. Born Susan Elizbeth Rice in
Washington, D.C., on November 17, 1964, to parents Lois Dickson Fitt and
Emmett J. Rice. Rice's family is well renowned among the Washington
elite; father, Emmett, is a Cornell University economics professor and
former governor of the Federal Reserve System, while mother Lois is an
education policy researcher and guest scholar at the Brookings
Institution. Growing up, Rice's family often spoke of politics
and foreign policy at the dinner table. Her mother's job also brought
notable figures through the house, including Madeline Albright, with
whom Rice's mother served with on a local school board. Albright would
later become a pivotal figure in Rice's personal and professional life.Rice
attended National Cathedral School, a prep academy in Washington, D.C.
She excelled in academics, becoming her class valedictorian, and showed
her aptitude in the politic realm as president of the student council.
She also loved athletics, competing in three different sports, and
became a star point guard on the basketball team. After
graduation, Rice attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
In college, she pushed herself to excel. She not only earned
Departmental Honors and University Distinction, but also became a Harry
S. Truman scholar, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and earned a Rhodes
scholarship. She turned the heads of top administrators when she created
a fund that withheld alumni donations until the university either
stopped their investments in companies doing business in South Africa,
or the country ended apartheid.

Interest in Diplomacy
After she received her bachelor's degree in history in 1986, she went on to attend University of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. Here she earned her M.Phil and D.Phil in international relations, and wrote a dissertation that examined Rhodesia's transition from white rule. Her paper won the Royal Commonwealth Society's Walter Frewen Lord Prize for outstanding research in the field of Commonwealth History, as well as the Chatham House-British International Studies Association Prize for the most distinguished doctoral dissertation in the United Kingdom in the field of International Relations.
She finished her schooling in 1990, and started work as an international management consultant at McKinsey & Company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On Septmber 12, 1992, she married her Stanford romantic interest, Ian Cameron, who was working as a television producer in Toronto for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The couple lived in Canada until 1993, when Rice took a job with the National Security Council in Washington, D.C., under President Clinton.





She began work as the director of international organizations and peacekeeping for the NSC, where she had what she calls her "most searing experience" when she visited Rwanda during what was later classified as a genocide. "I saw hundreds, if not thousands, of decomposing corpses outside and inside a church," she says. "It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen. It makes you mad. It makes you determined. It makes you know that even if you're the last lone voice and you believe you're right, it is worth every bit of energy you can throw into it." She took the lessons learned from her peacekeeping position to a new post as special assistant to the president and senior director for African affairs in 1995.

Government Appointments
She quickly advanced ahead of her peers and veteran officials when
her friend and mentor, Madeline Albright, recommended Rice for the post
of assistant secretary for African affairs in 1997. With her
appointment, she became one of the youngest assistant secretaries of
state ever. Many elder politicians disagreed with placing a young woman
in the position, arguing that she would be unable to deal with older,
male leaders. But Rice developed a reputation for her direct,
plainspoken opinions, and an ability to bring people to her side of the
table. "They have no choice but to deal with me on professional terms. I
represent the United States of America," she says. "Yeah, they may do a
double take, but then they have to listen to what you say, how you say
it and what you do about what you say."During her tenure in this
post, she also became well acquainted with the actions of the extremist
group, Al Qaeda; she was the top diplomat for African issues during the
1998 terrorist bombings of embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. Her
involvement and rise into politics mirrored that of Condoleezza Rice,
the secretary of state under President George W. Bush. The two are both
female, African-American, foreign policy experts who have ties to
Stanford University. However, the two are not related. The mix-up has
happened so often that Democrats have a saying about the confusion:
"They've got their Rice, and we've got ours."

U.N. Ambassador
Rice left the public sector in 2002 to become a senior fellow in foreign policy for the Brookings Institute, a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C. Their mission is to conduct independent research and provide recommendations to the government based on their findings. As a fellow, Rice specialized in research on U.S. foreign policy, weak and failing states, as well as the implications of global poverty and transnational security threats.
Rice took leave from Brookings in 2008, to become the senior foreign policy advisor to Barack Obama during his presidential campaign. After Obama's successful election in November of 2008, Rice was nominated to be the U.N. Ambassador for the United States. On January 22, 2009, she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate.




Rice and her husband have two children, and currently reside in Washington, D.C.

susan e rice

Quick Facts

• NAME: Susan E. Rice
• OCCUPATION: Diplomat
• BIRTH DATE: November 17, 1964 (Age: 48)
• EDUCATION: National Cathedral School, Stanford University, University of Oxford in Oxfordshire
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Washington, DC
• ZODIAC SIGN: Scorpio

Best Known For

Susan Rice is a foreign policy expert and was assistant secretary for African affairs in 1997 under President Clinton.

---

susan e rice

sylvester stallone -Bio

sylvester stallone

Sylvester Stallone biography





Synopsis
Born on July 6, 1946, in New York City, Sylvester Stallone is one of the most popular Hollywood action stars of all time, playing such iconic characters as John Rambo and Rocky Balboa. Stallone got his start writing and starring in Rocky. The film was a smash, receiving 10 Oscar nods and winning the award for best picture. Stallone's career took off from there, gaining action star icon status. In 2010, Stallone starred alonside Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme in The Expendables. In 2012, he reunited with the film's cast for a follow-up, The Expendables 2. Just one week after it's premiere, the film had climbed to the No. 1 spot at the box office, bringing in nearly $28.6 million.

Early Life
Actor, writer, director, producer. Born on July 6, 1946, in New York City. One of the most popular action stars of all time, Sylvester Stallone is best known for portraying two heroic characters on the big screen—boxer Rocky Balboa and Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. His trademark droopy visage was the result of a forceps accident at the time of his birth. A nerve was severed in the accident, which also left him with slurred speech.
Stallone had a difficult childhood. Both he and younger brother Frank were adversely affected by their parents’ hostile relationship, which later ended in divorce. Sylvester spent some time in foster care. He eventually ended up in Philadelphia, living with his mother and her second husband. There Stallone struggled emotionally and academically. After his expulsion from several schools, he attended a special high school for troubled youth.
After graduation, Stallone eventually went on to college. First, he attended the American College in Switzerland where he studied drama. Stallone then went to the University of Miami, again choosing to focus on the dramatic arts. He left school before completing his degree to go to New York City to pursue an acting career.

Aspiring Actor
While he waited for his acting career to take off, Stallone worked all sorts of jobs to make ends meet. He cleaned up the lions’ cages at the Central Park Zoo, ushered at a movie theater, and even made an appearance in an adult film called A Party at Kitty and Studs (1970). A few uncredited parts in mainstream films, such as Woody Allen’s Bananas (1971) and Klute (1971), soon followed. He had a more substantial role playing a tough guy in the 1974 independent film The Lords of Flatbush with Henry Winkler and Perry King. Around this time, Stallone married Sasha Czack.
In addition to acting, Stallone had an interest in writing. He created a screenplay about a rough-and-tumble thug who struggles for a chance to make it as a professional boxer. According to several reports, Stallone refused to sell the script unless he was allowed to star in it. Despite having a pregnant wife and little money in the bank, he held out until he found two producers, Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, willing to let him play the lead.



Action Hero
Released in 1976, Rocky became a critical and commercial hit. The film earned ten Academy Award nominations, including two for Best Actor and one for Best Original Screenplay. Rocky faced stiff competition in the Best Picture category from such films as Taxi Driver, All the President’s Men, and Network. Proving to be the small film with a powerful punch, Rocky emerged victorious and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The story of Rocky Balboa, the quintessential underdog, also struck a chord with movie-goers and earned the film more than $117 million at the box office.
To follow up on his breakthrough role, Stallone next starred as a labor organizer in F.I.S.T. (1978). He received some favorable reviews for his work, but the film failed to attract much of an audience. Returning to the film that made him famous, Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in Rocky II (1979). He kept the franchise going a few years later with Rocky III (1982).
That same year, Stallone introduced a new character to movie-goers—John Rambo, a disenfranchised and troubled Vietnam vet—in First Blood (1982). Rambo ends up going to war with the police in a small town after being mistreated by authorities. Once again, Stallone struck box office gold. He went behind the scenes for his next effort, Staying Alive (1983), which he wrote and directed. A sequel to Saturday Night Fever (1977) starring John Travolta, the film did not fare as well as the original.
Trying to branch out as an actor, Stallone starred opposite Dolly Parton in the comedy Rhinestone (1984). The film proved to be a commercial and critical failure. Fans, however, continued to line up to see Stallone in trademark roles in Rocky IV (1985), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), and Rocky V (1990).

Career Decline
By the mid-1990s, Stallone’s star power as an action hero started to fade. He made a series of forgettable films, including Judge Dredd (1995) and Daylight (1996). Taking a break from big budget action films, Stallone took a supporting role in the independent drama Cop Land (1997) which starred Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, and Ray Liotta. He earned raves for his portrayal of a sheriff in a small New Jersey town largely inhabited by New York City cops.
Returning to his leading man status, Stallone starred in the crime thriller Get Carter (2000), which received mixed reviews. He then wrote, co-produced, and starred in the car-racing drama Driven (2001). It netted more than $32 million at the box office—a long way from his glory days of Rocky. Another effort, Shade (2004), came and went without much notice.
Stallone once again returned to familiar territory to write the final chapter of his most popular creation. The plot of Rocky Balboa (2006) mirrored Stallone’s own career to some extent.




The former heavyweight champion, long retired, decides to go for one more big fight. “Things really started to slow down for me about 10 years ago, and I had a lot of time for introspection...It is kind of bittersweet. That is why I wanted to write this film. If I had been cranking out films, very successful ones, I wouldn’t have done this one,” Stallone explained to People magazine in 2007. Fans turned out in droves to see Rocky’s final fight, which earned more than $70 million at the box office.
More recently, Stallone returned his other action persona, John Rambo. In addition to playing the lead, he wrote and directed Rambo (2008). The film lived up the gory legacy of its predecessors. As one Entertainment Weekly critic described it, the film “is up to its boot tops in numbing violence.” Rambo may be maligned by critics, but it was able attract enough fans to bring in $42.7 million at the box office.
In 2010, Stallone starred alonside Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme in The Expendables. The film also features Jason Statham of The Transporter film series, mixed martial arts fighter Randy Couture, and martial arts expert Jet Li. In addition to his performance in the film, Stallone served as director and screenwriter.

Off Camera
After years of being the target of many critical barbs, Stallone has begun to receive some appreciation for his life’s work. He received an honorary Cesar Award, the French equivalent of the Academy Award, in 1992 and an acting award at the Stockholm film festival in 1997. In 2008, Stallone became the first person to receive the Golden Icon Award at the Zurich film festival.
Thrice married, Stallone is currently wed to former model Jennifer Flavin. The couple has three daughters, Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet. He has two sons, Sage and Seth, from his first marriage to Sasha Czack.
On July 13, 2012, Stallone's eldest son, Sage Moonblood Stallone, was found dead in his Los Angeles home. The 36-year-old actor, director and producer, co-starred with his father in Rocky V and Daylight. Stallone made his first public appearance after his son's death in August 2012, on Good Morning America. Of Sage's death, he said, "Time, hopefully, will heal, and you try to get through it, but it's just something. It's a reality of life. I think it's important to get back and start reliving your life. Otherwise, you can go into a spiral."

Recent Projects
In 2012, Stallone reunited with the cast of The Expendables to co-star in a follow-up film, The Expendables 2. The movie premiered in August of 2012, and within just one week, had climbed to the No. 1 spot at the box office, bringing in nearly $28.6 million.

sylvester stallone

Quick Facts

• NAME: Sylvester Stallone
• OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Director, Producer, Screenwriter
• BIRTH DATE: July 06, 1946 (Age: 66)
• EDUCATION: American College in Switzerland, University of Miami
• PLACE OF BIRTH: New York City, New York
• ZODIAC SIGN: Cancer

Best Known For

One of the most popular action stars of all time, Sylvester Stallone is best known for portraying boxer Rocky Balboa and Vietnam War veteran John Rambo.

---

sylvester stallone

abraham lincoln -Bio

abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln biography





Synopsis
Abraham Lincoln is regarded as one of America's greatest heroes due to both his incredible impact on the nation and his unique appeal. His is a remarkable story of the rise from humble beginnings to achieve the highest office in the land; then, a sudden and tragic death at a time when his country needed him most to complete the great task remaining before the nation. Lincoln's distinctively human and humane personality and historical role as savior of the Union and emancipator of the slaves creates a legacy that endures. His eloquence of democracy and his insistence that the Union was worth saving embody the ideals of self-government that all nations strive to achieve.

Childhood
Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Thomas was a strong and determined pioneer who found a moderate level of prosperity and was well respected in the community. The couple had two other children: Abraham’s older sister Sarah and younger brother Thomas, who died in infancy. Due to a land dispute, the Lincolns were forced to move from Kentucky to Perry County, Indiana in 1817, where the family “squatted” on public land to scrap out a living in a crude shelter, hunting game and farming a small plot. Thomas was eventually able to buy the land.
When young Abraham was 9 years old his mother died of tremetol (milk sickness) at age 34 and the event was devastating on him. The 9-year-old Abraham grew more alienated from his father and quietly resented the hard work placed on him at an early age. A few months after Nancy’s death, Thomas married Sarah Bush Johnston, a Kentucky widow with three children of her own. She was a strong and affectionate woman with whom Abraham quickly bonded. Though both his parents were most likely illiterate, Sarah encouraged Abraham to read. It was while growing into manhood that he received his formal education—an estimated total of 18 months—a few days or weeks at a time. Reading material was in short supply in the Indiana wilderness. Neighbors recalled how Abraham would walk for miles to borrow a book. He undoubtedly read the family Bible and probably other popular books at that time such as Robinson Crusoe, Pilgrims Progress and Aesop’s Fables.

Law Career
In March, 1830, the family again migrated, this time to Macon County, Illinois. When his father moved the family again to Coles County, 22-year-old Abraham Lincoln struck out on this own, making a living in manual labor.  At six feet four inches tall, Lincoln was rawboned and lanky, but muscular and physically strong. He spoke with a backwoods twang and walked with a long-striding gait. He was known for his skill in wielding an ax and early on made a living splitting wood for fire and rail fencing. Young Lincoln eventually migrated to the small community of New Salem, Illinois where over a period of years he worked as a shopkeeper, postmaster, and eventually general store owner. It was here that Lincoln, working with the public, acquired social skills and honed story-telling talent that made him popular with the locals.




When the Black Hawk War broke out in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans, the volunteers in the area elected Lincoln to be their captain. He saw no combat during this time, save for “a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes,” but was able to make several important political connections.
After the Black Hawk War, Abraham Lincoln began his political career and was elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1834 as a member of the Whig Party. He supported the Whig politics of government-sponsored infrastructure and protective tariffs. This political understanding led him to formulate his early views on slavery, not so much as a moral wrong, but as an impediment to economic development. It was around this time that he decided to become a lawyer, teaching himself the law by reading William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England. After being admitted to the bar in 1837, he moved to Springfield, Illinois and began to practice in the John T. Stuart law firm.
It was soon after this that he purportedly met and became romantically involved with Anne Rutledge. Before they had a chance to be engaged, a wave of typhoid fever came over New Salem and Anne died at age 22. Her death was said to have left Lincoln severely depressed. However, several historians disagree on the extent of Lincoln’s relationship with Rutledge and his level of sorrow at her death may be more the makings of legend.
In 1844, Abraham Lincoln partnered with William Herndon in the practice of law. Though the two had different jurisprudent styles, they developed a close professional and personal relationship. Lincoln made a good living in his early years as a lawyer, but found that Springfield alone didn’t offer enough work, so to supplement his income, he followed the court as it made its rounds on the circuit to the various county seats in Illinois. 

Entering Politics
Abraham Lincoln served a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849. His foray into national politics seems to be as unremarkable as it was brief. He was the lone Whig from the state of Illinois, showing party loyalty, but finding few political allies. He used his term in office to speak out against the Mexican-American War and supported Zachary Taylor for president in 1848. His criticism of the war made him unpopular back home and he decided not to run for second term, but instead returned Springfield to practice law.
By the 1850s, the railroad industry was moving west and Illinois found itself becoming a major hub for various companies. Abraham Lincoln served as a lobbyist for the Illinois Central Railroad as its company attorney. Success in several court cases brought other business clients as well—banks, insurance companies and manufacturing firms. Lincoln also did some criminal trials. In one case, a witness claimed that he could identify Lincoln’s client who was accused of murder, because of the intense light from a full moon. Lincoln referred to an almanac and proved that the night in question had been too dark for the witness to see anything clearly.




His client was acquitted.
About a year after the death of Anne Rutledge, Lincoln courted Mary Owens. The two saw each other for a few months and marriage was considered. But in time Lincoln called off the match. In 1840, Lincoln became engaged to Mary Todd, a high spirited, well educated woman from a distinguished Kentucky family. In the beginning, many of the couple’s friends and family couldn’t understand Mary’s attraction, and at times Lincoln questioned it himself. However, in 1841, the engagement was suddenly broken off, most likely at Lincoln’s initiative. They met later, at a social function and eventually married on November 4, 1842. The couple had four children, of which only one, Robert, survived to adulthood.

Elected President
In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise, and allowed individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. The law provoked violent opposition in Kansas and Illinois. And it gave rise to the Republican Party. This awakened Abraham Lincoln’s political zeal once again, and his views on slavery moved more toward moral indignation. Lincoln joined the Republican Party in 1856.
In 1857, the Supreme Court issued its controversial decision Scott v. Sanford, declaring African Americans were not citizens and had no inherent rights. Though Abraham Lincoln felt African Americans were not equal to whites, he believed the America’s founders intended that all men were created with certain inalienable rights. Lincoln decided to challenge sitting U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas for his seat. In his nomination acceptance speech, he criticized Douglas, the Supreme Court, and President Buchanan for promoting slavery and declared “a house divided cannot stand.” The 1858 Senate campaign featured seven debates held in different cities all over Illinois. The two candidates didn’t disappoint the public, giving stirring debates on issues ranging from states’ rights to western expansion, but the central issue in all the debates was slavery. Newspapers intensely covered the debates, often times with partisan editing and interpretation. In the end, the state legislature elected Douglas, but the exposure vaulted Lincoln into national politics.
In 1860, political operatives in Illinois organized a campaign to support Lincoln for the presidency. On May 18th at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Abraham Lincoln surpassed better known candidates such as William Seward of New York and Salmon P. Chase of Ohio. Lincoln’s nomination was due in part to his moderate views on slavery, his support for improving the national infrastructure, and the protective tariff. In the general election, Lincoln faced his friend and rival, Stephan Douglas, this time besting him in a four-way race that included John C. Breckinridge of the Northern Democrats and John Bell of the Constitution Party. Lincoln received not quite 40 percent of the popular vote, but carried 180 of 303 Electoral votes.
Abraham Lincoln selected a strong cabinet composed of many of his political rivals, including William Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin Stanton. Formed out the adage “Hold your friends close and your enemies closer”, Lincoln’s Cabinet became one of his strongest assets in his first term in office… and he would need them.




Before his inauguration in March, 1861, seven Southern states had seceded from the Union and by April the U.S. military installation Fort Sumter, was under siege in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. In the early morning hours of April 12, 1861, the guns stationed to protect the harbor blazed toward the fort signaling the start of America’s costliest and most deadly conflict.

Civil War
Abraham Lincoln responded to the crisis wielding powers as no other present before him. He distributed $2,000,000 from the Treasury for war materiel without an appropriation from Congress; he called for 75,000 volunteers into military service without a declaration of war; and he suspended the writ of habeas corpus, arresting and imprisoning suspected Confederate sympathizers without a warrant. Crushing the rebellion would be difficult under any circumstances, but the Civil War, with its preceding decades of white-hot partisan politics, was especially onerous. From all directions, Lincoln faced disparagement and defiance. He was often at odds with his generals, his Cabinet, his party, and a majority of the American people.
The Union Army’s first year and a half of battlefield defeats made it especially difficult to keep morale up and support strong for a reunification the nation. With the hopeful, but by no means conclusive Union victory at Antietam on September 22, 1862, Abraham felt confident enough to reshape the cause of the war from “union” to abolishing slavery. Gradually, the war effort improved for the North, though more by attrition then by brilliant military victories. But by 1864, the Confederacy had hunkered down to a guerilla war and Lincoln was convinced he’d be a one-term president. His nemesis, George B. McClellan, the former commander of the Army of the Potomac, challenged him for the presidency, but the contest wasn’t even close. Lincoln received 55 percent of the popular vote and 212 of 243 Electoral votes. On March 28, 1865, General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Virginia, surrendered his forces to Union General Ulysses S. Grant and the war for all intents and purposes was over.

Assassination
Reconstruction began during the war as early as 1863 in areas firmly under Union military control. Abraham Lincoln favored a policy of quick reunification with a minimum of retribution. But he was confronted by a radical group of Republicans in the Senate and House that wanted complete allegiance and repentance from former Confederates. Before a political battle had a chance to firmly develop, Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, by well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. Lincoln was taken from the theater to a Petersen House across the street and laid in a coma for nine hours before dying the next morning. His body lay in state at the Capitol before a funeral train took him back to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois.

abraham lincoln

Quick Facts

• NAME: Abraham Lincoln
• OCCUPATION: Civil Rights Activist, Lawyer, U.S. President, U.S. Representative
• BIRTH DATE: February 12, 1809
• DEATH DATE: April 15, 1865
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Hodgenville, Kentucky
• PLACE OF DEATH: Washington, D.C.
• Nickname: Honest Abe
• Nickname: The Great Emancipator

Best Known For

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He preserved the Union during the U.S. Civil War and brought about the emancipation of slaves.

---

abraham lincoln

mary tyler moore -Bio

mary tyler moore

Mary Tyler Moore biography





Synopsis
Mary Tyler Moore was born on December 29, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York. She became one of television's most beloved wives on The Dick Van Dyke Show and won two Emmys for her work on the series. The Mary Tyler Moore Show--featuring a single, thirty-something woman in the working world--started in 1970 and won her three more Emmys. Married three times, Moore is currently wed to Robert Levine.

Profile
Actress. Born on December 29, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York. As the star of two hit series in 1960s and 1970s, Mary Tyler Moore is one of the most popular actresses in the history of television. A skilled dancer, she started out in commercials, playing the part of a home appliance known as "Happy Hotpoint" in the mid-1950s. Moore also found work as an actress, landing some small parts and making her film debut in 1961 in X-15.
Mary Tyler Moore became one of television's most beloved wives on The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1961. As Laura Petrie, she demonstrated her talent for domestic comedy, and won her Emmys in 1964 and 1966 for her work on the series. After the show ended in 1966, she made a few movies, including Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) and Change of Habit (1970). But it was her return to television that led to her most famous role.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show hit the airwaves in 1970, and Mary Tyler Moore's character was in step with the times. Audiences identified with her portrayal of Mary Richards, a single thirty-something woman in the working world. The comedy show followed Mary's personal and professional life as she worked at a television news department and also featured Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, and Valerie Harper. Moore won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in 1973, 1974, and 1976 for the show. Involved in the making of the show, Moore and her second husband Grant Tinker created and produced the series through their company MTM Enterprises. Their company produced a number of other popular television programs, including The Bob Newhart Show, Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele, and several spin-offs from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Ending a seven-year run on television, Mary Tyler Moore tried again to find another series. She made several attempts, including 1978's Mary and 1995's New York News, but none of her new shows caught on with television audiences. She did, however, continue to have success in other acting endeavors. She won a Tony Award for her performance of Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1980) on Broadway. Moore also received an Academy Award nomination for Ordinary People that same year.
In addition to her acting, Mary Tyler Moore devoted much of her time to the American Diabetes Association. Married three times, she is currently wed to Robert Levine.
 

mary tyler moore

Quick Facts

• NAME: Mary Tyler Moore
• OCCUPATION: Actress
• BIRTH DATE: December 29, 1936 (Age: 76)
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Brooklyn, New York
• ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn

Best Known For

Mary Tyler Moore is an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and television star know for her roles on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

---

mary tyler moore

carmelo anthony -Bio

carmelo anthony

Carmelo Anthony biography





Synopsis
Carmelo Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1984. Raised in Baltimore, Anthony became the No. 1 high school player in the country. As a freshman he led Syracuse University to the national title in 2003. That same year he was drafted third overall by the Denver Nuggets, becoming one of the league's top scorers. After seven-plus seasons in Denver he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2011.

Early Years
The youngest of four children, Carmelo Kyam Anthony was born May 29, 1984, in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in Baltimore, Anthony experienced a bumpy childhood. When he was 2, his father, Carmelo Iriarte, died of liver failure. That left the care of the young boy and his three older siblings in the hands of his mother, Mary, who kept food on the table by working as a housekeeper. While the world around the Anthony family was the rough, drug-infested area of Baltimore known as the Pharmacy, inside the home, Mary kept her children on a short leash. She pushed Carmelo in particular to stay on top of his schoolwork. While Anthony began playing basketball at a young age, it wasn't until he was cut from his high school team as a freshman that he started to seriously focus on his game. By his sophomore season, Anthony had grown five additional inches and brought to the court a level of talent that made him a local star. Naturally, college coaches around the country took notice, and by his junior year, Anthony had committed to playing for Syracuse University. But in order to meet the school's academic requirements, Anthony transferred to Oak Hill Academy, a Virginia private boarding school with a strict disciplinary culture that has long catered to future National Basketball Association players. The transition for Anthony proved tough, but he stuck with it and eventually raised his test scores and his game, becoming the highest-ranked high school basketball player in the country. Unlike other top high school players, like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, Anthony felt he wasn't ready to skip college and jump straight to the NBA. Instead, he kept his commitment to Syracuse and entered the school as a student in the fall of 2002.

College Career
At Syracuse, Anthony quickly adapted to the college game. As the Orangemen's top player, he led the club to its first national championship, in the spring of 2003, with an 81-78 upset win over the favored University of Kansas. In the game, Anthony led all scorers with 20 points, while also collecting 10 rebounds. Capping a magical season for the freshman player, Anthony was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Later that spring, the star player said he was ready to go pro and declared himself eligible for the upcoming 2003 NBA draft.

NBA Career
In a talent-heavy draft that featured LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Anthony was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets. There was little transition period for the young player. During his 2003-04 rookie season, the 19-year-old Anthony was named to the All-Rookie team, averaging 21 points and six rebounds per game. Over the course of his pro career, the 6'8" forward has proven to be one of the game's great scorers. In 2007 he was tapped to play in his first All-Star game, and in the ensuing years has made several additional All-Star teams. On December 10, 2008, in a game against Minnesota, Anthony tied an NBA record when he scored 33 points in a single quarter. While the Nuggets enjoyed a fair level of success with Anthony as the franchise's leading player, the club never became the perennial contender that club officials had hoped. In the middle of the 2011 season, Denver shipped Carmelo to the New York Knicks in a three-team megatrade. The move delighted Anthony, who'd longed to return to his native New York, and Knick fans. In New York, Anthony has continued his run as one of the NBA's most prolific scorers and helped rejuvenate a franchise that has gone more than four decades without an NBA title. In addition to his NBA credentials, Anthony was a key member of both the 2008 and 2012 gold-medal-winning Olympic men's basketball teams.

carmelo anthony

Quick Facts

• NAME: Carmelo Kyam Anthony
• OCCUPATION: Basketball Player
• BIRTH DATE: May 29, 1984 (Age: 28)
• EDUCATION: Oak Hill Academy, Syracuse University
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Brooklyn, New York
• AKA: Carmelo Anthony
• Nickname: Melo
• ZODIAC SIGN: Gemini

Best Known For

Forward Carmelo Anthony is one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. Drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2003, he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2011.

---

carmelo anthony