Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Hardin County (now LaRue County), Kentucky, was the 16th President of the United States. He served as president from 1861 to 1865 during one of the most challenging periods in American history, the Civil War. Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the greatest American presidents due to his leadership during this tumultuous time and his commitment to preserving the Union.
Lincoln’s childhood was marked by poverty and hardship, but he was determined to educate himself. He had limited formal education but became an avid reader and self-taught lawyer. Lincoln started his political career in the Illinois State Legislature and later served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
His election as President in 1860 triggered the secession of Southern states, leading to the Civil War. Lincoln faced the formidable challenge of maintaining the Union and ultimately issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, declaring slaves in Confederate territories free. This marked a pivotal moment in American history, aligning the Union’s cause with the abolition of slavery.
Lincoln’s leadership extended beyond the battlefield, and he delivered some of the most enduring speeches in American history. His Gettysburg Address in 1863 is particularly famous for its concise and powerful expression of the principles of human equality and democracy.
Unfortunately, Lincoln’s life was cut short when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, just days after the end of the Civil War. His legacy lives on, and he is remembered not only for his role in preserving the Union but also for his commitment to freedom, equality, and the enduring principles of democracy. Abraham Lincoln’s life and leadership continue to inspire people around the world.
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“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
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“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
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“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
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“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”
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“I would rather be a little nobody than to be an evil somebody.”
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“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
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“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.”
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“I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep doing so until the end.”
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“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”
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“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
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“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.”
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“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
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“I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”
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“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
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“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
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“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”
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“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.”
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“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.”
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“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”
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“I am a slow walker, but I never walk backward.”
