Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky on February 12, 1809 – the same year Charles Darwin was born!

Young Abe (Abraham Lincoln) had to walk 9 miles each way to borrow books because his family lived so far from town.

Abraham Lincoln only had about 12 months of formal schooling in his entire life, but he taught himself by reading every book he could find.

As a teenager, Abraham Lincoln worked as a flatboatman on the Mississippi River, helping transport cargo to New Orleans.

Abraham Lincoln was incredibly strong – at age 19, he could lift and carry barrels weighing up to 600 pounds!

Abraham Lincoln’s family moved to Indiana when he was 7 years old in 1816 because of a land dispute. They had to build their new home from scratch.

Abraham Lincoln earned the nickname “Honest Abe” as a teenager when he walked three miles to return 6 cents he had accidentally overcharged a customer.

Young Abraham Lincoln kept his school papers and books in the cracks between the logs of his family’s cabin to protect them from rain.

Abraham Lincoln loved animals and refused to hunt or kill them – once, he even wrote an essay against cruelty to animals when he was just a boy.

Abraham Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died on October 5, 1818, when he was only 9 years old from “milk sickness,” a disease caused by drinking milk from cows that ate poisonous plants.

Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president in U.S. history at 6 feet 4 inches (approximately 1.93 meters) – that’s taller than most NBA players of his time!

Abraham Lincoln had unusually long arms – his fingertips reached 6 inches below his knees when standing straight.

Abraham Lincoln always carried letters, notes, and documents in his famous tall stovepipe hat, using it like a briefcase.

Abraham Lincoln had a high-pitched voice, not the deep voice many people imagine, according to multiple historical accounts.

Abraham Lincoln’s face was asymmetrical – one side was slightly different from the other, which you can see in photographs.

Abraham Lincoln could write with both his left and right hands.

Abraham Lincoln had gray eyes and coarse black hair that often stood up in all directions.

Abraham Lincoln started growing his famous beard only after receiving a letter from 11-year-old Grace Bedell, who suggested it would help him win the presidency.

Despite being very tall, Abraham Lincoln weighed only about 180 pounds (approximately 82 kg) through most of his adult life.

Abraham Lincoln had a small scar above his right eye from when a horse kicked him as a child.

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be photographed at his inauguration (March 4, 1861) – look closely at the photos, and you can spot his famous top hat!

Abraham Lincoln created the U.S. Secret Service on April 14, 1865 – ironically, the same day he was assassinated (though the Service wasn’t yet protecting presidents).

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln personally tested new weapons on the White House lawn, including rifles and repeating carbines.

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to hold regular press conferences and the first to invite reporters to live in the White House.

Abraham Lincoln pardoned the first White House turkey (Jack) at his son Tad’s request, starting the Thanksgiving tradition we still follow today.

Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, with a steady hand because he didn’t want future generations to think he hesitated.

Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday in 1863, after Sarah Josepha Hale wrote to him suggesting the idea.

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to use the telegraph regularly, sending over 1,000 military telegrams during the Civil War.

During his presidency, Abraham Lincoln personally met with over 15,000 people seeking his help or advice.

Abraham Lincoln often worked until 2 or 3 in the morning, making him one of the most notable “night-owl” presidents in U.S. history.

Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd on November 4, 1842, after breaking off their engagement once and then getting back together.

Abraham Lincoln and Mary had four sons, but only one (Robert) lived to adulthood.

Abraham Lincoln loved cats so much that he once fed his cat, Tabby, from the White House dinner table with a golden fork.

Abraham Lincoln’s son Tad had a pet turkey named Jack that was allowed to roam freely through the White House.

Abraham Lincoln often played with his sons in the White House, even allowing them to interrupt important meetings.

Abraham Lincoln read to his children every night, often acting out different voices for the characters in stories.

The Lincoln family kept goats at the White House, and his sons sometimes hitched them to carts for rides on the White House lawn.

Mary Todd Lincoln held séances in the White House after their son Willie died in 1862.

Abraham Lincoln’s stepmother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, encouraged his love of reading and learning.

Abraham Lincoln’s oldest son Robert Todd Lincoln kept a pet rooster that would wake up the whole family every morning.

Abraham Lincoln was an excellent wrestler in his youth, losing only one match out of about 300.

Abraham Lincoln taught himself geometry by reading books at night by firelight.

Abraham Lincoln earned his law license while working as a postmaster and surveyor – he studied in his spare time.

Abraham Lincoln could split over 400 fence rails a day as a young man, earning him the nickname “Rail-Splitter.”

Abraham Lincoln invented a device to lift boats over shoals and sandbars, becoming the only U.S. president to hold a patent.

Abraham Lincoln loved Shakespeare and could recite many of his plays from memory.

Abraham Lincoln played the jew’s harp (a small musical instrument) and enjoyed singing folk songs.

Abraham Lincoln was excellent at math and helped neighbors calculate their land boundaries.

Abraham Lincoln walked several miles to borrow newspapers just so he could practice his debating skills by arguing both sides of political issues.

Abraham Lincoln could write upside down and backwards – a skill he learned while working as a clerk.