Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), was President of the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the greatest crisis in U.S. history. Although Lincoln's primary goal was preservation of the Union, his leadership helped end slavery in the United States. Lincoln believed that the example of the United States proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting form of government. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, second Inaugural Address, and many of his other speeches and writings are classic statements of democratic beliefs and goals. In conducting a bitter war, Lincoln never became bitter himself. He showed a nobility of character that has worldwide appeal. Lincoln, a Republican, was the first member of his party to become president. He was assassinated near the end of the Civil War and was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln was the first U.S. president to be assassinated.