Quick answerAbraham Lincoln (1809–1865) was an American political leader. Abraham Lincoln is best known for Serving as the 16th president of the United States, Leading the Union in the Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address and Ending slavery in the United States. His leadership preserved the Union and ended American slavery, and his Gettysburg Address still defines democracy.
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) was the sixteenth president of the United States, who led the country through the Civil War and ended slavery. Born in a Kentucky log cabin with almost no schooling, he rose by self-education to the White House, and his Gettysburg Address remains one of the great speeches in English.
Key facts
| Born | 1809 in Sinking Spring Farm, near Hodgenville, Kentucky, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | 1865 |
| Nationality | American |
| Field | Politics |
| Known for | Serving as the 16th president of the United States, Leading the Union in the Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, Ending slavery in the United States |
Overview
Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky, and grew up on the frontier in Indiana and Illinois, with less than a year of formal schooling. He taught himself law, became a successful lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, and served in the state legislature and one term in Congress. He married Mary Todd in 1842, and of their four sons only one, Robert, lived to adulthood. In 1858 his debates with Stephen A. Douglas over slavery made him nationally known, and in 1860 he was elected president.
As president he led the Union through the Civil War, issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, freeing enslaved people in the Confederate states, and delivered the Gettysburg Address, which restated the nation's founding ideals. The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery throughout the United States, was passed by Congress in January 1865 and ratified after his death. The Union won the war in April 1865, and five days later Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington, becoming the first American president to be assassinated.
Frequently asked questions
When was Abraham Lincoln born?
Lincoln was born on 12 February 1809 in a one-room log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm, near Hodgenville, Kentucky. He grew up on the frontier, moving with his family to Indiana in 1816 and to Illinois in 1830, with less than a year of formal schooling.
What is Abraham Lincoln famous for?
Lincoln is famous as the president who preserved the Union during the Civil War and brought about the end of slavery in the United States. His Gettysburg Address, given in 1863, and his Second Inaugural Address are among the most admired speeches in American history.
How did Abraham Lincoln die?
Lincoln was shot by the actor John Wilkes Booth on the evening of 14 April 1865, while watching a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., five days after the Civil War effectively ended. He died the next morning, 15 April, becoming the first American president to be assassinated.
Where was Abraham Lincoln born?
Lincoln was born in a log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm, near Hodgenville in Kentucky, on 12 February 1809. The farm is now preserved as the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, and a memorial building there encloses a cabin said to be the original.
What did Abraham Lincoln do?
As president from 1861 to 1865, Lincoln led the northern Union states through the Civil War, issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and supported the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery. He also gave the Gettysburg Address, defining the war as a struggle for freedom and equality.
Quotes by Abraham Lincoln
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