Education and Early Career
Lincoln had very little formal schooling — less than one year total across his entire childhood. He was determined to teach himself, often reading books by firelight after long days of work. As a young man, he moved to New Salem, Illinois, where he worked as a store clerk, postmaster, and surveyor. He studied law on his own by reading borrowed law books and became a licensed lawyer in 1836. Lincoln quickly earned a reputation as an honest and skilled attorney, which led people to call him “Honest Abe.”
Rise in Politics
Lincoln served four terms in the Illinois state legislature starting in 1834, where he began developing his views on slavery and government. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1846 and served one term. In 1858, he ran for the U.S. Senate against Stephen Douglas, and the two held a famous series of seven debates that drew national attention. Although Lincoln lost that Senate race, the debates made him well known across the country. In 1860, he won the presidential election as the candidate of the Republican Party.
Leading the Nation Through the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln became the 16th President of the United States on March 4, 1861. By the time he took office, seven Southern states had already left the Union because they feared Lincoln would end slavery. Within weeks, the Civil War began when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861. Lincoln faced the enormous challenge of holding the country together during its darkest period. He worked tirelessly to find capable military leaders and to keep the border states from joining the Confederacy.
The Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, one of the most important documents in American history. This executive order declared that all enslaved people in Confederate states were to be set free. While it did not immediately free everyone who was enslaved, it changed the purpose of the war to include the fight for human freedom. The proclamation also allowed Black men to join the Union Army and Navy, and about 180,000 African American soldiers served by the war’s end. It was a major step toward the total abolition of slavery, which came with the 13th Amendment in 1865.
The Gettysburg Address
On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of a military cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The speech was remarkably short — only about 272 words — and lasted just two to three minutes. Lincoln honored the soldiers who had died and reminded Americans that the nation was founded on the idea that all people are created equal. Many people at the time did not realize how important the speech would become. Today, the Gettysburg Address is considered one of the greatest speeches in American history.
Personal Life and Character
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall, Lincoln was the tallest president in United States history, and he often wore a tall stovepipe hat that made him appear even taller. He married Mary Todd in 1842, and together they had four sons, though only one survived to adulthood. Lincoln was known for his sense of humor and his ability to tell stories that made a point. Despite his cheerful public personality, he also struggled with deep sadness throughout his life. He was widely respected for his honesty, compassion, and determination to do what he believed was right.
Assassination and Legacy
On April 14, 1865, just five days after the Civil War ended, Lincoln was shot by actor John Wilkes Booth while watching a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. He died the following morning at age 56. Lincoln’s assassination shocked the entire nation, and millions of people lined railroad tracks as his funeral train traveled from Washington to his burial place in Springfield, Illinois. He is remembered as one of America’s greatest presidents for preserving the Union and helping to end slavery. His memorial, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is visited by millions of people every year.
Fun Facts
- Lincoln kept important papers stored inside his tall stovepipe hat.
- Before becoming president, Lincoln was an accomplished wrestler and lost only one match out of roughly 300.
- He was the first president to have a beard while in office, reportedly growing it after an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell wrote him a letter suggesting it.
- Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday in 1863.
- He is one of four presidents carved into Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
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