Key Facts
- Term
- 1861--1865
- Party
- Republican
- Vice President
- Hannibal Hamlin / Andrew Johnson
- First Lady
- Mary Todd Lincoln
- Home State
- Illinois
- Born
- 1809
- Died
- 1865
Biography
Abraham Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky in 1809. Largely self-educated, he taught himself law and became a successful attorney.
Lincoln rose to national prominence through his debates with Stephen Douglas and won the presidency in 1860 as the first Republican president.
As a wartime president, Lincoln navigated the bloodiest conflict in American history. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and pushed the 13th Amendment to permanently abolish slavery.
Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865.
Key Events & Accomplishments
- Led the Union through the Civil War (1861-1865)
- Issued the Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
- Delivered the Gettysburg Address (1863)
- Pushed the 13th Amendment through Congress
- Signed the Homestead Act (1862)
- Assassinated at Ford's Theatre (April 14, 1865)
Notable Quotes
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Did You Know?
- Lincoln is the only president to hold a patent.
- He was the tallest president at 6'4".