Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1809. He led the country through the Civil War. He freed the enslaved people with the Emancipation Proclamation.

Early Life

Lincoln grew up very poor on the frontier. He had less than one year of formal schooling. He taught himself to read by firelight. He worked as a rail-splitter, store clerk, and lawyer before entering politics.

A famous close-up photograph of Abraham Lincoln from 1863.
A famous close-up photograph of Abraham Lincoln from 1863. (Alexander Gardner / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Lincoln became president in 1861, just as the Civil War began. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which freed enslaved people in the South. He gave the famous Gettysburg Address. He held the United States together through its darkest time.

Fun Facts

  • Lincoln was the tallest president at 6 feet 4 inches.
  • He kept important papers inside his tall top hat.
  • He was the first president to have a beard.

Did You Know?

Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in 1865, just days after the Civil War ended. He is remembered as one of the greatest American presidents.