Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809- April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States of America. He served as President from March 4, 1861, until April 15, 1865 (he was re-elected in 1864). Lincoln's Vice-President was Andrew Johnson (1808-1875).

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky. He had very little formal schooling and was mostly self-educated. He eventually became a lawyer and a Republican politician; he earned the nickname "Honest Abe." Lincoln married Mary Todd in 1842; they had four sons, but only one (Robert) survived childhood.

Lincoln was elected President in 1860. During Lincoln's presidency, the Southern states seceded from (left) the Union because Lincoln and the Northern states were against slavery. Six weeks after becoming President, the Civil War began. In this war, the Northern states (which stayed in the Union) fought the Southern states (called the Confederacy). The Civil War lasted from 1861 until 1865.

The Gettysburg Address Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

On Jan. 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which eventually led to the freeing of all slaves in the USA. During the Civil War, Lincoln gave many speeches, including the Gettysburg Address (Nov. 1863), a short speech in which he stated how a country must be dedicated to human freedom in order to survive.

Lincoln was re-elected President in 1864 (defeating Democrat George B. McClellan).

General Robert E. Lee (from the Confederacy) surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant (from the Union) on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.

President Lincoln was shot on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth (an actor). Lincoln had been attending a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. Lincoln died the next morning. He was the first US president ever assassinated. Andrew Johnson (Lincoln's Vice-President) became the next US President.

Related Pages:

Abraham Lincoln: Printable Book A printable book for early readers about Abraham Lincoln. The book has pages on when he was born, where he was born, early life, being the 16th President of the USA, the Civil War, the Lincoln Memorial, and Lincoln's images on money.

Abraham Lincoln: A Book for Fluent Readers A printable book for fluent readers about Abraham Lincoln. The book has pages on when his early life, early career, Congress, Lincoln's Presidency, the Civil War, Lincoln's legacy, and a timeline.

Abraham Lincoln Cloze Worksheet A fill in the blanks activity on the 16th President of the United States. Or go to the answers.

Abraham Lincoln Printout/Quiz Read about Lincoln, color his picture and take a quiz on his life using this worksheet. Or go to the quiz Answers

Put 10 Abraham Lincoln-Related Words in Alphabetical Order - Worksheet Put 10 Abraham Lincoln-related words in alphabetical order. The words are: Abe, cabin, Civil War, honest, Illinois, Kentucky, log, Mary, president, slavery. Go to the answers.

Abraham Lincoln Timeline

Abraham Lincoln Timeline Quiz Printout Take a quiz on a timeline of Lincoln's life. Or go to the Timeline Quiz Answers

The Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial commemorates the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. It is located in Potomac Park, Washington, D.C.

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial Read about Mt. Rushmore and how it was built by Gutzon Borglum. Or go to a printout on Mt. Rushmore.

Penny Coloring Page Printout Color the front and back of a penny in this printout.

Abraham Lincoln Alphabet Code Use the alphabet to find the secret message about Abraham Lincoln. Answer: "Abraham Lincoln was a great US President."

Abraham Lincoln Wordsearch Puzzle Find the words in the wordsearch puzzle, then use the extra letters to find the secret message. Secret Message: "Honest Abe Lincoln." Or go to the answers.

Abraham Lincoln: Add, then Decode the Quote Solve the addition problems, then use the alphabet code to decode the end of the Abraham Lincoln quote, "I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he _______." (Answer = was yesterday). Or go to the answers.

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