Abraham Lincoln, the greatest president in the history of U.S.A, was one of those men who enjoy immense popularity and fame even during their life- time. Indeed, he was the noblest man of the 19th century and it would be more appropriate to say that he became a living legend. More than a President, he was better known as an epoch maker, particularly for his spectacular achievements.

Lincoln was born on 12th February 1809 in a very poor family of Kentucky, U.S.A. His father’s name was Thomas Lincoln. Lincoln’s early life was full of hardships. He was a bright student but could not study much for lack of means. Hence, he received very little education until he was fifteen years old and earned his living, wandering from place to place. At one place he got the job of a shop assistant. He was then only twenty years old and had an ardent desire to study more. So, he bought books and began to study by himself. He studied with great diligence and showed such ability that his superiors were much pleased with him. He passed Law, qualified himself to be a lawyer and started legal practice.

Abraham Lincoln had a great desire to serve the people among whom he was born. No sooner had the thought occurred to him in his mind, he decided to stand for election to the Senate of America. By his pamphlet he expressed his strong qualities and put a strong fight, but he met with defeat, as he was an unknown man. The defeat resulted nothing in his determination to do something for his country and countrymen. In 1847, Lincoln was elected for the American Congress. At that time the entire America, from north to south was a camp of slaves. Nobody saw anything wrong in the openly buying and selling of Negroes for keeping them as slaves. Lincoln felt that the slave trade was very wicked and irreligious. His humanitarian speeches and writings made people to realise that slavery is a serious evil and soon so many people started supporting him.

Lincoln was elected as the President of U.S.A in 1861, as a candidate of the Republican Party. He came to the office of the president of U.S.A at a very critical time, when the whole of the country was bitterly divided   over the issue of abolition of slavery. The southern states of America, those were predominantly agricultural, wanted to retain the slavery system. But the northern states, with an industrial economy were in support of the abolition of slavery. The southern states formed a separate  ‘Confederation’ and provoked the northern states to engage into an armed conflict. Lincoln decided to wage a war for keeping the country united and to abolish slavery. In 1863, he proclaimed the freedom of slaves, declaring the war aims of preserving a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. So, America was engulfed into a civil war that lasted for about four years. The southern states were decisively defeated and the bonds of the slaves were broken. 

Lincoln was a great humanitarian. He always believed that a powerful individual or nation must use its power to remove the miseries of the poor and the weak not to crush them. He had firm belief on democracy and he regarded the whole world as his native land. His view “Democracy is a government of the people, by the people, for the people”, is still the best definition of democracy.

Lincoln’s unabated efforts marked the emergence of an America- strong and united. His historic decision to give equal rights to the Negroes with the Whites, including right to cast vote, brought him wide appreciation. The entire Americans applauded him and he became more popular day by day. At his height of glory   some wicked men were annoyed as he provided equality to the slaves by breaking the centuries- old traditions of America. Booth, an insane actor was the most impatient of them all. He wanted to immortalise himself by assassinating Lincoln. The American Intelligence Bureau informed Lincoln about this conspiracy. But Lincoln smiled and said, “Can anybody save me if I am destined to be killed thus”. On Friday 14th April, 1865, Lincoln with his wife Mary Lincoln, the First Lady of America, went to the Ford theatre to see a play ‘Our American cousin’. Booth had reached the theatre an hour and half before Lincoln’s arrival. While the couple was enjoying the play, Booth shot Lincoln by a revolver.

In a tragic manner occurred the death of the greatest President of America. It is most appropriate to say that Lincoln sacrificed his life in order to put an end to the sufferings of other. He is still alive for his great contributions and the entire world will remember his name forever.