Abraham Lincoln (Alternity)

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 - May 17, 1907) was the 16th President of the United States, serving an unprecedented three terms, from March 4, 1861 to March 4, 1873. Lincoln is best known for leading the United States through the Civil War, helping to end slavery, and his handling of the Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1873, when he made multiple gestures of healing with the former Confederacy, such as the abolishment of West Virginia and re-merging it with Virginia. Lincoln's efforts were generally rewarded with praise by much of the nation, with even the South reluctantly acknowledging their surprisingly fair treatment by the victorious Union forces, as per Lincoln's wishes. When he left office with Rutherford B. Hayes' inauguration on March 4, 1873, Lincoln was regarded as one of the greatest presidents in national history, and remains so today, generally regarded in the top 3 US Presidents. After leaving office, Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd retired to their home in Springfield, Illinois, where they lived out their lives until Lincoln's death on May 17, 1907 at the age of 98. He is interred in the Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, where his wife and three of his four sons (Edward, William, and Tad) are buried with him.