Lincoln proved to be a shrewd military strategist and a savvy leader: His Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for slavery’s abolition, while his Gettysburg Address stands as one of the most famous pieces of oratory in American history.

In it, he invoked the principles of human equality contained in the Declaration of Independence and connected the sacrifices of the Civil War with the desire for “a new birth of freedom,” as well as the all-important preservation of the Union created in 1776 and its ideal of self-government.

Lincoln delivered one of the most famous speeches in United States history at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery on November 19, 1863. The victory of U.S. forces, which turned back a Confederate invasion, marked a turning point in the Civil War.

1. Be a self-learner. Lincoln, who spent most of his childhood doing farm work to help out his father, taught himself in his spare time. He built his own homeschool, using books given to him by his stepmother, neighbors, and teachers, who were all aware of his thirst to learn.

Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves in the rebellious Southern states. This set the precedent for ultimately freeing the slaves through the Thirteenth Amendment after Lincoln’s death. Lincoln also armed black soldiers to fight for the Union army.

Explore 10 things you may not know about the 16th U.S. president.

• Lincoln is enshrined in the Wrestling Hall of Fame.
• Lincoln created the Secret Service hours before his assassination.
• Grave robbers attempted to steal Lincoln’s corpse.
• John Wilkes Booth’s brother saved the life of Lincoln’s son.

Lincoln’s main push, in the years leading up to his election in 1860 (similar to Seward’s), was to prevent the further spread of slavery into new states.

President Lincoln justified the Emancipation Proclamation as a war measure intended to cripple the Confederacy. Being careful to respect the limits of his authority, Lincoln applied the Emancipation Proclamation only to the Southern states in rebellion.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln won the Electoral College with less than 40 percent of the popular vote nationwide by carrying states above the Mason–Dixon line and north of the Ohio River, plus the states of California and Oregon in the Far West.

In his inaugural address, Lincoln promised not to interfere with the institution of slavery where it existed, and pledged to suspend the activities of the federal government temporarily in areas of hostility.

state of South Carolina

National Union Party