Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserved the Union, and ended slavery. As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery, Lincoln was elected President in 1860. He concentrated on reunification the nation after the secession of the Confederate States. He issued his Emancipation Proclamation and promoted the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery. Lincoln came under attack from all sides. He fought back by appealing to the American people with his powers of oratory. The Gettysburg Address of 1863 became an iconic statement of America's dedication to the principles of nationalism, equal rights, liberty, and democracy. Six days after the surrender of the main Confederate forces, Lincoln was assassinated, becoming the first President to suffer such a fate. Scholars rank Lincoln as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents.