Our 16th president is best remembered for his leadership in preserving the Union during the Civil War and initiating the legislation that ended slavery in the United States. Abraham Lincoln is also remembered as a man of humble beginnings, who through determination and perseverance was elected to the highest political position in the United States. A humane, farsighted statesman in his lifetime, he became an American hero after his death. Lincoln has had a lasting influence on American politics, and his character, integrity, and intellect are best revealed in his speeches and letters. Book jacket.