The 16th President of USA, Abraham Lincoln was born on 12th February, 1809. Born to Nancy Hanks Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln, Abraham was brought up in Hardin County, Kentucky. President Lincoln is remembered for the leadership qualities he exhibited during the American Civil War and his contribution to abolition of slavery. The United States of America, during President Lincoln's term, not only survived the war, but also entered a new era where slavery was abolished. Highlights of the illustrious career and life of President Lincoln are presented in the article. Mr. Abraham Lincoln faced many hardships in his life. His mother died when he was just 9 years old. Death of his mother came as a great shock for young Abraham. Lincoln's father remarried after his wife's death. Fortunately, Abraham Lincoln was treated well by his stepmother, Sarah Bush Lincoln. In fact, she encouraged him to read and learn. In March, 1831, Lincoln's family moved to Illinois and settled in Macon County.

• At the age of 22, Abraham Lincoln moved out of Macon County and came to New Salem. There he took up the job of a clerk. In April, 1832, Lincoln got enlisted in the local militia. Breakout of the 'Blackhawk War' had compelled the governor of Illinois to call for troops. Abraham Lincoln got enlisted in the 'Thirty-First Regiment of Illinois'. He served for 51 days, however, didn't get a chance to participate in the war. Later, Lincoln worked as a postmaster and surveyor.
• In the month of August, Abraham Lincoln contested elections for a seat in the Illinois General Assembly; although he was not successful in winning the elections, the entire experience fueled his political aspirations. On 4th August, 1834, Abraham Lincoln won the Sangamon County seat in the Illinois General Assembly Elections. In 1846, he was elected for a two-year term in the US House of Representatives.
• Lincoln's personal life was full of hardships. The tragic death of his three sons had a deep impact on his mind. Robert Todd Lincoln, Willie Lincoln, Edward Lincoln and Thomas "Tad" Lincoln were the four children born to Mary Todd Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln. Edward, Willie and Thomas died at the age of three, eleven and eighteen respectively. Robert was the only one to live to adulthood.

President Lincoln was affiliated with the Republican Party from 1854 to 1865. He was a member of the Whig Party from 1832 to 1854. He served the term as President from 1861 to 1865. • The Gettysburg Address, a speech given by Lincoln after the Battle of Gettysburg, is considered as a memorable one in the history of America. Through the speech, President Lincoln reiterated his belief in the values of equality, liberty, nationalism and democracy. • Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on 14th April 1865; his assassination also meant he could not complete the second term as President. He was the first President of USA to be assassinated. Abraham Lincoln termed slavery a moral evil and had opposed it long before the Civil War had begun. He opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) because it had supported the idea of human slavery. This act, according to Lincoln, was against the principle of liberty. He also argued that the 'Declaration of Independence', which emphasized the virtue of equality, was contradicted by practicing slavery in America. President Lincoln was shot dead by John Wilkes Booth, an actor by profession, on 14th April, 1865. Lincoln died on the morning of 15th April, 1865. The American Civil War was about to end and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was considered an act of desperation by the Confederates. President Lincoln was shot from behind on the head (near the left ear). Earlier, John Wilkes Booth had planned to kidnap the President. The kidnapping was to be done to resume the exchange of prisoners of American Civil War. Booth and his accomplices twice missed the opportunity to kidnap the president; attempts to kidnap him were made on 4th March, 1865 and 17th March, 1865. The month of April in 1865 brought a series of failures to the Confederate Army. Their capital, Richmond (Virginia) was captured on 3rd April. On 9th April, the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered. This defeat sounded the death knell for the Confederates. On 11th April, 1865 President Lincoln gave a speech in which he expressed his views on enfranchising the people who were earlier treated as slaves. John Wilkes Booth, infuriated by the idea of enfranchising slaves, made up his mind to assassinate the president. Let us have a look at some of the interesting facts on the life of Abraham Lincoln.

• Abraham Lincoln went to school for a period of just 18 months. He was fond of reading and for the rest of his life, educated himself through self-study.
• Mr. Lincoln was the first president from the western side of the Appalachian mountain range.
• He was a good wrestler. Earlier in his life, Lincoln had also worked as an axeman.
• President Lincoln created a national banking system with the help of the National Banking Act of 1863.
• He was the tallest US president who stood 6 feet 4 inches tall; Lincoln's height and physical strength made him appear intimidating. He had once protected his supporter from an assailant by pushing him away.
• Lincoln was the first president of USA to sport a beard.
• He hated visiting dentists; it was partly because a doctor had once, almost broken his jaw while pulling out a tooth.
• Abraham Lincoln had secured a patent for the floatation device in 1849. Lincoln is probably the only president to have held a patent.

Abraham Lincoln led an eventful life that was full of uncertainties. The way he lead his country exhibits Lincoln's exceptional leadership skills and fierce determination to uphold the values of equality and liberty. I hope the facts on Abraham Lincoln presented in the article encourage you to read more about his life.