If you were alive 155 years ago today, you would have witnessed headlines that read, ìAbraham Lincoln elected 16th president of The United States.î Not only was he the first Republican candidate elected to office, but he received 40 percent of the popular vote when he defeated his running-mates, one of whom was Illinois senator Stephen A. Douglas.

For a historical refresher, Lincoln ran against Douglas for the Illinois senate seat in 1858 and their campaigns became the stage for the famous ìLincoln Douglas Debates.î After losing the election, Lincoln ran for the presidency two years later and was chosen as arguably one of the best commanders-in-chief in our nationís history.

Lincolnís controversial victory instigated the secession of seven Southern states, which threatened secession if the Republicans gained the White House. Lincolnís inauguration was paired with the establishment of the Confederate States of America, and one month later, the brutality of the Civil War ensued.

Two years later, as the Union states noticeably started to defeat the Confederacy, Lincoln emancipated the Southern slaves. In 1864, Honest Abe won a seat for his second term. Five days after the Confederate states surrendered at the Appomattox Courthouse, Lincoln was assassinated and unable to witness the official Union victory and the post-war Reconstruction period.

Even today, many Southerners want to display the Confederate flag as what they say is a proud symbol of their heritage. The continual flying of the Confederate flag in certain states is a testament to their view of the flag as a positive symbol. However, on July 10, South Carolinaís capitol building was ordered to remove the Confederate flag, an evident symbol of slavery, that ebbed and waved on the front lawn for 54 years.

South Carolina governor Nikki Haley declared on NBCís ìToday Showî that the ìFlag needs to be in a museum, where we will continue to make sure people will honor it appropriately.î He later added, ìThe Statehouse [is] an area that belongs to everyone. And no one should drive by the statehouse and feel pain. No one should drive by the statehouse and feel like they donít belong.î

A similar situation unfurled on Oct. 26 when The University of Mississippi lowered their flag that contained the Confederacyís crossed red and white stripes. The action came days after student and faculty-led groups on-campus called for removal of the banner. However, it was surprising to many that it took an institution of higher education another three months until they followed after South Carolinaís lauded precedent.

Nonetheless, Lincolnís lasting legacy continues to influence the actions of American citizens and law-makers alike and indirectly facilitates the nationís gravitation towards a truly unified state.