Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and is widely recognized as one of the greatest leaders in US history. He was born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County (now LaRue County), Kentucky, and died tragically assassinated on April 15, 1865 in Washington, D.C.
Abraham Lincoln - interesting facts and information
Lincoln began his career as a lawyer and politician in Illinois. He was elected to the state legislature in 1834 and later served as a lawmaker who distinguished himself with his debating skills. In 1860, he was elected President of the United States as the Republican Party candidate.
His presidency, which began in March 1861, was a time of national crisis. Shortly after he was sworn in, the Civil War broke out between the North and South, with the North fighting to end slavery and unite the country, and the South seeking to maintain the institution of slavery and gain independence.
Lincoln is best known for the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863, which declared the emancipation of all slaves in the Confederate states that were in opposition to the Union. In 1865, just before the war ended, the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted, formally abolishing slavery nationwide.
However, the most tragic moment in his presidency was the attempt on his life. On April 14, 1865, during a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., Lincoln was shot in the head by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. The president died the next day, April 15.
Abraham Lincoln is remembered as a national hero and symbol of the nation's unity. His actions during the Civil War and his drive to abolish slavery have gone down in history as pivotal in shaping the current form of the United States. His famous speeches, including the Gettysburg Doomsday Speech, are still quoted and studied today as examples of excellent rhetoric and vision for the future.
