Abraham Lincoln: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026

News •

Today in History: Abraham Lincoln wins presidency • Nov. 6, 2026, 4:30 AM ET (Chicago Tribune)

Also Known As	Honest Abe • the Rail-Splitter • the Great Emancipator
Born	February 12, 1809 • near Hodgenville • Kentucky
Died	April 15, 1865 (aged 56) • Washington, D.C. • United States
Title / Office	presidency of the United States of America (1861-1865), United States • House of Representatives (1847-1849), United States
Political Affiliation	Republican Party • Whig Party
Awards And Honors	Hall of Fame (1900)
Notable Works	Gettysburg Address
Notable Family Members	spouse Mary Todd Lincoln
Role In	American Civil War • Battle of Fort Sumter • Emancipation Proclamation • First Battle of Bull Run • Lincoln-Douglas debates • Peninsular Campaign • Reconstruction • Seven Days’ Battles • United States presidential election of 1860 • United States presidential election of 1864 • Vicksburg Campaign • Wade-Davis Bill • Compensated Emancipation Act

Part of the reason that Lincoln opposed slavery was that he envisioned the United States as a country of urban commerce rather than plantations.
Lincoln was the first president to be assasinated while in office.
Mary Lincoln was widely unpopular due to her frivolity and spending practices. Her reputation worsened with her practice of holding seances in the White House after one of her young sons died.