Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, who led the country through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which began the process of ending slavery in America.
A largely self-taught frontier lawyer with little formal schooling went on to hold the country together through its bloodiest conflict, redefining what the war was even being fought for along the way.
A Self-Made Frontier Lawyer
Lincoln rose from a childhood of poverty on the American frontier, largely self-educated, to become a successful lawyer in Illinois, gaining national attention through a series of public debates on the expansion of slavery before his election to the presidency.
An Election That Split a Nation
Lincoln won the presidency in 1860 on a platform opposing the expansion of slavery, a result that immediately prompted several Southern states to secede from the Union, precipitating the outbreak of the American Civil War just weeks after his inauguration.
The Emancipation Proclamation
In 1863, at the height of the war, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring enslaved people in Confederate-held territory to be free — a transformative decision that reframed the war's purpose around ending slavery, not merely preserving the Union.
Preserving the Union
Lincoln guided the Union through four brutal years of civil war, demonstrating remarkable political skill in managing his cabinet, generals, and a divided public opinion, ultimately leading the North to victory by 1865.
Assassination and Legacy
Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth just days after the Confederacy's surrender in April 1865. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American presidents, remembered for preserving the Union and advancing the cause of civil rights.
