Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 16th
president of the United States from 1861 until
his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the
Civil War, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. Born in Kentucky into a poor family, Lincoln educated himself and worked as a lawyer in Illinois before entering politics. A powerful orator and astute politician, Lincoln used his
Gettysburg Address to promote nationalism, republicanism, equal rights, liberty, and democracy. He has been consistently
ranked as one of the greatest US presidents, by both scholars and the public.
Engraving: Bureau of Engraving and Printing; restoration: Andrew Shiva