Welcome, little explorers, to take a look at the greatest US President in history, š²Abraham Lincoln!
From being a self-taught lawyer to one of the four assassinated US presidents in History, this famous person has many interesting facts to offer!
This article will offer some fascinating facts about Abraham Lincoln that will leave you surprised!
Letās begin this amazing exploration!
Fascinating Abraham Lincoln Facts
Abraham Lincoln: He is considered to be the greatest US President in the history
Did you know this amazing fact about This world-famous person? No? Let me explain.
According to different scholarly surveys, he is the greatest US President in history! Amazing š²isnāt it?
He even ranked first in the C-SPAN presidential poll in 1999, New York Times Five Thirty-Eight analysis in 2013, and also ABCās poll in 2000.
George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt are generally his biggest competitors when it comes to finding out the greatest US President in history!
Lincoln was born into poverty
This famous personās early life was not so amazing!
He was born in poverty in Kentucky in a log cabin. On February 12, 1809, he came into this world and was raised on the frontier, mainly in Indiana.
He was the second child of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Abraham had two siblings, Sarah and Thomas; however, his brother Thomas died as an infant.
Abrahamās father worked as a cabinetmaker, farmer, and carpenter šŖto provide for his family!
Abraham Lincoln: He experienced the untimely death of his mother
I am really depressed to learn this unfortunate fact about this famous figure!
On October 5, 1818, Abrahamās mother, Nancy Lincoln, died from milk sickness, leaving her husband, 11-year-old daughter Sarah and 9-year-old son Abraham behind!
Ten years later, even his sister Sarah died while giving birth to a stillborn son! So depressing!
Lincoln: He was the tallest among all Presidents of the US
The amazing height of Lincoln was one of the reasons so many people feared and respected him!
With an amazing height of 6 feet and 4 inches, Abraham is the tallest President š²of the United States in history. It is really big compared to the average presidential height, which is about 5 feet and 11 inches.
Also, the shortest Present of the US in history was James Madison, who had a height of 5 feet and 4 inches, a whole foot shorter than Lincoln.
Formal Education of Lincoln: He received just around 18 months of formal education
As a child of a farmeršØāš¾ and carpenter, he spent most of his childhood days working on several farms owned by his father.
He received a very small amount of formal schooling from several itinerant teachers. However, he has been popular as an avid reader ever since his early youth.
He even worked as a postmasterš®, merchant, lawyer, and also as merchant, although he had no formal education in any of these fields.
Also, Lincoln was a captain in the Illinois Militia before starting his remarkable political career.
Abraham Lincoln: Meet him in his teenage years
Did you know this interesting secret about this remarkable person?
As a teen, Abraham Lincoln took responsibility for various types of chores and even gave his father all his earnings from work done outside until he was 21.
He was strong and could use an axe efficiently!
Quite tall for his age, Lincoln was very athletic. He was an accomplished wrestler as a young manā¦ defeated only once out of around 300 matches he participated.
Abraham Lincoln: He was the President during the biggest war in America
Have you heard about the Civil War??
It lasted from 1861 to 1865 and resulted in more than 1 million casualties, which was equal to around 3% of the population at the time!!
Abraham Lincoln was the commander-in-chief of the 25 states that created the Union.
However, this remarkable person was assassinated less than a month prior to the war officially ending in May 1865.
It was just 5 days after the Confederacyās General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union, eventually ending the war!
Lincoln: He lost 5 elections prior to being elected the President of US twice
Love historical facts?? Then you will surely love this interesting fact about this famous figure!
Lincolnās first election loss took place in the year 1832 when he lost the election for the Illinois General Assembly.
Later, he lost one race for U.S. Congress, one campaign for the nomination for a vice president, and two races for U.S. Senate.
However, all these losses became unimportant when he was finally electedāļø the 16th President of the U.S.A in November 1860.
Republican President: Lincoln was the first
I am quite surprised to explore this secret about this remarkable figure of the United States of America!
Although the first six US Presidents came from the Democratic-Republican Party (from which the modern Democrats and the modern Republicans evolved), Lincoln was the first President of the U.S.A. to come from the then-new Republican party!
This party was officially formed in 1854, which is just 6 years before his first presidential win.
Lincoln helped in building the reputation of the party and contributed a lot to its domination on the national political scene, which remained all the way to the 1930s.
Lincoln: He was one of the four assassinated Presidents of the U.S in history
One of the four assassinated Presidents of America?? Yes, it is true!
Abraham Lincoln was not only one of the four Presidents of the U.S.A, along with Garfield, Kennedy, and McKinley, who was assassinated, but he was also the first assassinated US president!
On April 14, 1809, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at 10.15 p.m. (EST) in Fordās Theatre šin Washington D.C.
He died on the following day at 7.20 a.m. in the house across the street from the theater, today known as the Petersen House!
The United States Secret Service: It was established by Lincoln
I am quite amazed to know this surprising fact about Abraham Lincoln! What about you, my friends??
Although the organization was formally established just 3 months after Lincolnās demise, it was mainly founded on the day President Lincoln died.
The legislation that formed the Secret Service was actually on his desk that day!
However, even if the Secret Service had been operating at the time the assassination occurred, it could not have been able to help President Lincoln since its responsibility at the time was just suppressing counterfeiting.
During Lincolnās Presidency: Meet the Vice-Presidents who worked under Lincoln
The first, working as Vice-President during the first term of Lincoln was Hannibal Hamlet. He was a man who disliked Lincolnās wife and vice versa to some extent!
The second one was Andrew Johnson, a Democrat who succeeded Lincoln after his death and hence, became the 17th President of America!
Johnson served the country from 1865 until 1869. Also, conversely to Abraham Lincoln, is even considered to be one of the worst Presidents šof the United States of America!
Robert Lincoln: He was the only son of Lincoln who lived to adulthood
Lincolnās firstborn, Robert Lincoln lived to 82 years of age and became a politician and lawyer himself.
However, Lincolnās other three sons Thomas, Willie, and Edward all died as kids due to different ailments.
Robert Lincoln might have also died quite early if not for Edwin Booth, the brother of the person who later killed his father!
Edwin prevented Robertās serious injuries, or we can say his potential death. He did this by pulling Robert back onto the platform after he had slipped, when his back was pressed against a train that started moving suddenly!!
Lincoln: He dreamt about his assassination before it even took place
Love to explore strange and unbelievable facts? Then you will surely love this fact!
Lincoln is believed to have had quite a strong premonition about two weeks prior to his death! Quite strange, isnāt it? Hence, he actually anticipated his assassination!
On April 14, 1865, he even told his bodyguard that he had dreamed about being assassinated for three nights in a row!
It was quite unfortunate that his dreams turned out to be a reality that very evening!
You will be amazed to know that this famous person was very interested in dreamsš“ and even their meanings!!
Lincolnās dog Fido: It was also assassinated
Like me, you might have already known that Lincoln was very fond of animals and was very devoted to his dog Fidoš!
Fido was given to another family after Lincoln moved to Washington D.C.; however, attended the funeral of Lincoln in April 1865.
Later, Fido was unfortunately died. The dog was stabbed by a drunk person on the street within a year of the death of his previous master!!
Heterosexuality of Lincoln: It has been disputed on several occasions
According to some people or I must say biographers, Abraham Lincoln might have been a bisexual or homosexual. Some biographers had told some stories about Lincoln often sleeping in the same bed as his male friends.
If this rumor is actually a truth, then Lincolnās bodyguard in 1862-63, David Derickson, might have been one of is lovers!
However, no actual proof of Lincolnās homosexuality has been shown so far.
Abraham Lincoln: The first US President with a beard
I am quite amazed to know this rare yet fun fact about Abraham Lincoln! Want to know??
He was the first US President with a beard š!
You will be more surprised to know that an 11-year-old girl was actually behind that beard!
In the year 1860, Grace Bedell sent a letter to Lincoln, just before the election, requesting him to grow a beard to improve his appearance!!
Lincoln sent her a letter in response, telling her that he could not promise her. However, in November 1860, by the time he got elected, he already had a beard!
Thanksgiving: Lincoln established it as a Nation Holiday
Though Thanksgiving has been celebrated since the 1600s, it still was Lincoln who established it a national holiday in the country in 1863!
Due to the war, his proclamation was not realized completely. So, the actual realization of Thanksgiving turning out to be a nation-wide holiday took place only after Lincolnās death, in the 1870s.
āAbeā: Lincoln didnāt like his nickname
We often use the name Abe Lincoln while talking about the 16th President of America, right? However, Lincoln himself hated this nickname!
He strongly preferred his last name, so many called him as Mr. Lincoln, or even Mr. President after he had been selected.
Even his wife, Mary, was believed to have addressed him as Mr. Lincoln!
Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith: The last undisputed descendant of Lincoln died in 1985
Lincolnās descendant, Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith died childless in 1985. He was Lincolnās great grandson, and the grandson of Lincolnās son Robert.
There was a claim of a potential son from Beckwithās second wife; however, the boy was born out of adultery and hence, never recognized as Toddās descendant.
Summing up
So that was some amazing facts about the great person!!
Actuallyā¦.we can continue more about Abraham Lincolnā¦.but too much at a time is not good for appetite!!!
Soā¦.see you soon with another topicš²!!
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Ā Next startupĀ Cledemy.Com)
