Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He is widely regarded as one of America’s greatest presidents, having played a crucial role in preserving the Union during the Civil War and in ending slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky, and grew up in poverty. He worked as a store clerk and a surveyor before beginning a career in law and politics. He was elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1834 and later served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849.

In 1860, Lincoln was elected president as a member of the Republican Party. His election triggered the secession of several Southern states, which led to the outbreak of the Civil War. During the war, Lincoln was a strong and determined leader, working to keep the Union together and ultimately leading the Union to victory in 1865.

Lincoln is perhaps best known for his Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued in 1863. This proclamation declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be set free, and it helped to solidify the Union’s moral and political position in the war.

On April 14, 1865, just five days after the Confederacy surrendered, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. His death was mourned by the nation, and he has since been widely regarded as one of America’s greatest leaders.