Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) was the 16th president of the United States and one of the nation’s most influential leaders. Born in a log cabin in Hodgenville, he grew up in poverty on the frontier, largely educating himself through reading. Lincoln worked as a rail-splitter, store clerk, and lawyer before entering politics in Illinois. He served in the state legislature and later in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Lincoln rose to national prominence during the 1858 debates with Stephen A. Douglas, where he argued against the expansion of slavery. In 1860, he was elected president as a member of the Republican Party. His election triggered the secession of several Southern states, leading to the American Civil War.

During the war, Lincoln preserved the Union and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states free. He promoted the passage of the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery nationwide. In 1865, shortly after the war ended, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln is remembered for his leadership, eloquence, and enduring commitment to equality and democracy.