Professional Life in Illinois
Early on, Abraham took a variety of jobs, including piloting a steamboat, but he was beginning to develop a serious interest in politics. In 1834, he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly, and began studying the law in earnest. In September 1836, he received a law license and embarked on the career that would propel him to the White House. The approved reverse design for aspect three representing the Illinois phase of Lincoln's life depicts him as a young professional standing in front of the state capitol building in Springfield.
