Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809.  He married Mary Todd and had four sons, Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Baker Lincoln, and William Thomas “Tad” Lincoln.  Edward died at infancy, William died at age eleven, and Tad at eighteen.  Robert was the only one who made it to adulthood.  Lincoln was a Republican and the sixteenth president of the United States.  He was president during the Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865.  He was the first Republican to be president.

          Lincoln helped end slavery and helped keep the U.S. from separating during the war. He made many speeches and never seemed to grow bitter during one of the bloodiest and difficult wars ever. He wrote the Gettysburg and presented it in Gettysburg during the war.  When first elected he was practically unknown.  He received less than forty percent of the popular vote.  But by 1865 he was thought to be equal to Washington. 

          Lincoln was a passive man.  During the Civil War, his job was to win the war.  He thought the military, “That attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood- that serpents eye that charms to destroy.”  Lincoln succeeded in his job.  He was known as “Father Abraham” or “Old Abe”.

          Abraham Lincoln was assassinated April 14, 1865, which happens to be the same day the Titanic sank.  He was watching “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater in Washington, in the presidential box.  A few minutes after 10:00 P.M. a shot rang out through the theater.  John Wilkes Booth, the best known actor in the theater, shot Lincoln in the head from the back of the presidential box.  Booth broke his leg, limped across he stage waving a dagger and saying, “Sic Semper Tyrannis” (Thus always to tyrants) the motto of Virginia.  Lincoln was carried unconscious to a neighboring house.  He died April 15, 1865, at 9:22 a.m.  He was thought and known, even by his enemies as one the greatest men in history.