Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) led the United States through the Civil War. His 1860 election spurred seven southern states to leave the Union. On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing enslaved peoples in those states in rebellion.

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, seated, photographed by Alexander Gardner, April 10, 1865
Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, seated, photographed by Alexander Gardner, April 10, 1865