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Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln November 1863.jpg
Lincoln in November 1863
16th President of the United States
In office
March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865
Vice President Hannibal Hamlin (1861 to 1865);
Andrew Johnson (March  — April 1865)
Preceded by James Buchanan
Succeeded by Andrew Johnson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 7th district
In office
March 4, 1847 – March 4, 1849
Preceded by John Henry
Succeeded by Thomas Harris
Personal details
Born (1809-02-12)February 12, 1809
Hodgenville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died April 15, 1865(1865-04-15) (aged 56)
Washington, D.C.
Nationality American
Political party Republican and Whig
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Spouse
(m. 1842)
Children
Parents
Signature

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809  – April 15, 1865) was an American politician. He was the 16th President of the United States. He served as president from 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War. Just five days after the war was ending, John Wilkes Booth ended Lincoln's life. Lincoln was the first U.S. president to be assassinated. He is remembered as the "Great Emancipator" because he worked to end slavery in the United States.

Lincoln's Early Life and Family

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Kentucky, United States. His parents were Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. His family was poor. Abraham had one brother and one sister. His brother died when he was a child. Lincoln grew up in a small, one-room log cabin. Even though slavery was legal in Kentucky, Lincoln's father, who was a religious Baptist, chose not to own any slaves.

When Lincoln was seven years old, his family moved to Indiana. Later, they moved to Illinois. As a child, he helped his father work on the family farm.

On October 5, 1818, when Abraham was nine, his mother died. His 11-year-old sister Sarah then took care of the household. His father later married again.

When he was 21, he worked on a flatboat that carried goods. At 22, he left home and moved to New Salem, Illinois. There, he worked in a general store and as a postmaster. He later said he went to school for only one year. But that was enough to learn how to read, write, and do simple math. In 1842, he married Mary Todd. They had four children, but three of them died very young.

In 1851, Abraham's father died at the age of 73.

How Lincoln Became "Honest Abe"

Abraham Lincoln was sometimes called Abe Lincoln or "Honest Abe." This nickname came from a time when he ran miles to give a customer the correct change. The name "Honest Abe" also came from when a business he started failed. Instead of running away from his problems, he stayed and worked hard to pay off his debt.

Lincoln's Start in Politics

Lincoln started his political journey in 1832. He ran for the Illinois General Assembly, but he lost the election. He served as a captain in the Illinois militia during the Black Hawk War. This was a conflict with some Native American tribes. When he moved to Springfield in 1837, he became a lawyer. Soon, he was one of the most respected lawyers in Illinois. He traveled to different courts for many years.

In 1846, Lincoln joined the Whig Party. He was elected to serve one term in the House of Representatives. After that, he focused on his law career. In 1854, Lincoln became involved in politics again. This was because of the Kansas–Nebraska Act. He joined the Republican Party, which was new and against the spread of slavery. In 1858, he ran for senator against Stephen A. Douglas. He lost the race, but their debates made him famous across the country. The Republican Party then chose him to run for President in 1860.

Lincoln Becomes President

Thomas Hicks - Leopold Grozelier - Presidential Candidate Abraham Lincoln 1860
A sketch of candidate Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was chosen to run for president in 1860 for several reasons. His views on slavery were less extreme than other candidates. He was from a Western state, which gave him a better chance to win votes there. Other experienced candidates had enemies within the party. Lincoln's poor family background also fit the Republican idea of free labor, which was the opposite of slave labor. Lincoln won the election in 1860 and became the 16th President of the United States. He won with almost no votes from the Southern states. This was the first time a president had won mainly because of strong support from the North. During his presidency, Lincoln was known for his tall stovepipe hat. He used it to carry papers and documents when he traveled.

The Civil War Begins

Abraham Lincoln O-55, 1861-crop
The first photographic image of the new president

After Lincoln's election in 1860, seven states left the Union. These states were South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana. They formed the Confederate States of America. When the United States refused to give up Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, the Confederate Army attacked the fort. This attack started the American Civil War. Later, four more states (Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina) joined the Confederacy. This made a total of eleven Confederate states. As President, Lincoln had to use military force to bring the Union back together. He also had to stop "border states" like Kentucky, Missouri, and Maryland from joining the Confederacy.

The Emancipation Proclamation

With the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln ordered freedom for all slaves in the states that were still fighting against the Union during the Civil War. This order did not immediately free all slaves. This was because those areas were still controlled by the rebelling states of the Confederacy. Only a small number of slaves already behind Union lines were freed right away. As the Union army advanced, nearly all four million slaves were eventually freed. Some former slaves joined the Union army after 1862.

The Proclamation made freeing slaves a main goal for the Union in the war. It also stopped European nations, especially Great Britain and France, from recognizing the Confederacy as a separate country. Lincoln then supported a change to the Constitution to free all slaves. The Thirteenth Amendment, which made slavery illegal everywhere in the United States, was passed in late 1865. This was eight months after Lincoln was assassinated.

The Gettysburg Address

During the important Battle of Gettysburg, many soldiers from both sides died. Abraham Lincoln gave a very famous speech called the Gettysburg Address. He gave it at the new cemetery for the soldiers who had died there. It is one of the most famous speeches in American history.

Second Term and Assassination

Lincoln was re-elected president in 1864 by a small number of votes. He started his second term on March 4, 1865. Soon after, it became clear that the Union would win the Civil War. Lincoln suggested peace terms that would not be too harsh on the states that had rebelled. He wanted them to be able to govern themselves again. On April 9, 1865, the main Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, surrendered his armies. On April 11, 1865, Lincoln gave a speech where he supported voting rights for black American citizens.

Lincoln assassination slide c1900
Shown in the presidential booth of Ford's Theater, from left to right, are assassin John Wilkes Booth, Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, Clara Harris, and Henry Rathbone.

On April 14, 1865, Lincoln signed the law that created the Secret Service. This is the U.S. President's security force. That evening, Lincoln went to a play with his wife, Mary Todd, at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.. He had invited Ulysses S. Grant to join them. As a general, Grant would have brought extra military security. However, Grant did not attend the play.

During the play, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and a Confederate spy, entered the presidential box. He shot Lincoln at close range and shouted, "Sic semper tyrannis" ("Thus always to tyrants"). An unconscious Lincoln was carried across the street to Petersen House. He was placed on the bed at an angle because he was so tall. He remained in a coma for nine hours before he died the next morning. Lincoln was the first American president to be assassinated.

Booth escaped but died from shots fired during his capture on April 26.

Lincoln's Children

President Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln had four sons:

Only Robert lived to be an adult. Of Robert's children, only Jessie Lincoln had children (two: Mary Lincoln Beckwith and Robert Lincoln Beckwith). Neither Robert Beckwith nor Mary Beckwith had any children. So, Abraham Lincoln's direct family line ended when Robert Beckwith, Lincoln's great-grandson, died in 1985.

Lincoln's Lasting Impact

AbrahamLincolnOilPainting1869Restored
Lincoln, painting by George Peter Alexander Healy in 1869

Lincoln has always been seen by experts and the public as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents. He is often considered the greatest leader for his actions during the American Civil War. People also remember his powerful speeches, like the Gettysburg Address.

Famous Quotes from Abraham Lincoln

  • “Whatever you are, be a good one.”
  • “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”
  • “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
  • “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
  • “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.”
  • “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”
  • “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.”
  • “You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”

Interesting Facts About Abraham Lincoln

Questions Kids Ask About Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln statue, Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln statue, Lincoln Memorial

Why is Abraham Lincoln important?

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He led the country during the Civil War. His Emancipation Proclamation freed many slaves. He was also very important in passing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This and other laws helped the United States become a great country.

Who ended slavery?

Slavery was ended in the United States during Lincoln's presidency. It officially ended on December 18, 1865. This happened when the 13th Amendment was officially added to the Constitution.

Why was Lincoln murdered?

On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln. Booth supported slavery and wanted the South to remain as it was before the war. He tried to help the Confederate cause by targeting the top three officials in the U.S. government: the President, Vice President, and Secretary of State. The president was the only person killed in Booth's plan.

Why is Lincoln considered the greatest president?

Abraham Lincoln is often seen as the greatest president. This is because of his strong leadership during the American Civil War. His speeches, like the Gettysburg Address, are also very famous and powerful.

Where is Abraham Lincoln buried?

The Lincoln Tomb is where Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, and three of their four sons are buried. These sons were Edward, William, and Thomas. The tomb is located in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois.

Can you visit Abraham Lincoln's grave?

Yes, you can walk around the monument and go inside the tomb.

Why was he buried in Springfield?

Even though he was born in Kentucky, Lincoln considered Illinois his home. He once said, "Springfield is my home, and there, more than elsewhere, are my life-long friends."

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Abraham Lincoln para niños

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