Poet, lawyer, legislator, ardent opponent of slavery, and 16th president of the United States Abraham Lincoln produced several of the most impactful documents in American history. His role in the abolition of slavery and his leadership during the Civil War earned him the lasting legacy of one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history, and his speeches remain at the forefront of the broader American cultural consciousness.

Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 in a log cabin in Kentucky, before his family moved to Indiana in 1816 where he would spend the majority of his upbringing. Lincoln received very limited formal education, and began working at a young age to help support his family. Lincoln was very familiar with the Bible, and became fond of Shakespeare in his youth, utilizing many Shakespearean allusions throughout his career. His favorite piece of literature was a poem by Scotsman William Knox, and he frequently quoted the lines that begin “Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud?”

The Lincoln family relocated again in 1830 to Illinois. As a supporter of the Whig Party, Lincoln became involved in local politics before being elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1834. Lincoln was also a self-taught lawyer, and he passed the bar examination in 1836. After working as a lawyer in Springfield for several years, Lincoln met Mary Todd and married her in 1842. The couple had four children, but only one, Robert Todd Lincoln, survived into adulthood.

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives, however he was not popular amongst many of his constituents due to his public opposition to the Mexican-American War. After the deterioration of the Whig Party, Lincoln became a member of the emerging Republican Party, which was founded largely on the basis of opposition to the expansion of slavery. In 1855, Lincoln delivered one of his most famous speeches, the “house divided” speech wherein he stated, “this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free” which is widely remembered to this day.

In 1860, the Republican party officially selected Lincoln as their presidential candidate, and he ran against Stephen Douglas, John Breckenridge, and John Bell. Lincoln won the election and was inaugurated as the 16th president of the United States in 1861, by which time seven states had already seceded to form the Confederate States of America. Confederates fired on a Union fleet ordered by Lincoln to Fort Sumter in April of 1861, which marked the beginning of the Civil War.

Lincoln had very limited personal military experience, having served briefly in 1832 in the Black Hawk War. However, he learned quickly and surprised many with his vast knowledge of military strategy. Lincoln issued the famous Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863, following the Battle of Antietam. This measure freed all enslaved people in the states not currently under federal control, but left the border states who maintained their allegiance to the U.S. government as they were. The Emancipation Proclamation strengthened the moral cause of the Union and is widely regarded as one of the most important documents of human freedom.

Lincoln followed the Emancipation Proclamation with the Gettysburg Address, which he delivered in November 1863 at the dedication ceremony for the national cemetery after the Battle of Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Address reinvigorated the morale of the Union by reminding Americans of the purpose of the Civil War and recalling the Founding Fathers’ commitment to the pursuit of equality. At just 272 words, the brevity of the Gettysburg Address, paired with its pivotal message make it one of the most widely quoted speeches in world history.

In 1864, several Union military successes helped Lincoln to win reelection. In his second inauguration in March 1865, he highlighted his desire to rebuild the Union. However, Lincoln would not live to see through his plans for Reconstruction. Instead, on April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C.

The assassination of Lincoln made him into a national martyr, solidifying his reputation as a beloved figure in the hearts and minds of Americans. Lincoln is still known by many as “Honest Abe,” “Father Abraham,” and the “Great Emancipator.” Many of his most moving political and moral beliefs were immortalized in his popular speeches and documents, which are indicative of his great faithfulness, honesty, humor, and courage. These writings, particularly the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address, are among the most frequently studied and quoted pieces of American history.