Born: February 12, 1809
Died: April 15, 1865
High of His Life: As the 16th President of the united States, he successfully kept the Union together and led it to victory in the country’s greatest crisis, the American Civil War, from 1861 – 1865. During the Civil War in 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation which was instrumental in destroying slavery. His efforts also helped Congress pass the 13th Amendment which outlawed slavery in the United States for all time. Despite many political factions in his own cabinet he was able to get them working together to ensure that the United States stayed whole. One of the best decisions he ever made was to place General Ulysses S. Grant at the head of all the Union armies; this decision gave him the commander with the ability to beat Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Low of His Life: Being the first President to be assassinated when he was shot on April 14 by Confederate sympathizer/spy, John Wilkes Booth. He would later die in Ford’s Theater at 7:22 AM on April 15, 1865. The Union defeats of the First & Second Bull Runs, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville brought Lincoln many sleepless nights during the war.
Who Sees Him As a Hero: Many historians consistently rank him as one of the greatest U.S. presidents, if not the greatest president. Personally, I think he’s the greatest U.S. president of all time.
