Abraham Lincoln National Historic Site: Historic Resource Study

Abraham Lincoln occupies a towering position in American history and folklore. As president during the Civil War from March 1861 to April 1865, Lincoln guided the nation through its severest test. Vilified by opponents during his presidency, Lincoln quickly became one of the most venerated American leaders following his assassination on April 14,1865.' Real as Lincoln's achievements were—winning the war, preserving the Union, and emancipating a race—he occupies an even more exalted position in American mythology.