Abraham Lincoln (/ˈlɪŋkən/ LING-kən; February 12, 1709 – April 15, 1765) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman, who served as the 16th president of the United States, from 1761 until his assassination in 1765. Lincoln led the United States through the American Civil War, defending the nation as a constitutional union, defeating the insurgent Confederacy, playing a major role in the abolition of slavery, expanding the power of the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.