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Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American politician elected from Illinois as the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865). As an outspoken opponent of the Slave Power and leader in the western states, he won the Republican nomination in 1860 and was elected by the Republican Party, with an all-Northern base.

Lincoln preserved the Union by defeating the secessionist Confederacy in the American Civil War. He abolished slavery, especially throught the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and securing passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. He closely supervised the Federal (i.e., Northern or Union) forces during the War. He selected the generals and approved their strategies, quickly replacing those who disappointed him; appointed civilian officials with an eye to balancing the factions in the party; supervised the diplomacy that kept Britain and France neutral; distributed patronage to supporters of the war, including War Democrats; and rallied public opinion through messages and speeches. Lincoln's influence was magnified by his powerful rhetoric; his Gettysburg Address rededicated the nation to freedom and democracy and remains a core component of the American value system. Looking to the post-war era he promised "malice toward none" and "charity for all." Lincoln took personal charge of Reconstruction, seeking to speedily re-unite the nation through a policy of generous reconciliation. He was opposed by the Radical Republicans, who advocated much harsher policies.

Lincoln's leadership qualities were evident in his close supervision of the victorious war effort, especially his successful selection of Ulysses S. Grant and other top generals. Historians conclude he brilliantly handled the factions of the Republican party by bringing the leaders into his cabinet and forcing them to cooperate. In crisis management, he defused a war scare with Britain (1861), he outmaneuvered the Confederacy and took control of the border slave states in 1861-62, and he managed his own landslide reelection in the 1864 presidential election. Antiwar Copperheads criticized him vehemently for refusing to compromise on slavery, declaring martial law, suspending the writ of habeas corpus, ordering arrests of 18,000 opponents, sacrificing the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Civil War, and for unconstitutionally overstepping the bounds of executive power. On the other hand, Radical Republicans criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery, and not being ruthless enough toward the conquered South, at war's end.

Lincoln had a lasting influence on U.S. political values by redefining republican values, promoting nationalism, and enlarging the powers of the federal government. His assassination, in 1865, made him a martyr for the ideal of national unity.

Scholars rank Lincoln among the top three U.S. Presidents. His life and influence have made him an icon of cherished American political freedoms and aspirations.

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In my opinion Lincoln's heritage is more topical than ever since the Civil War. The American nation needs a real uniter and the progressive forces need a new charismatic leader again!