On February 12th, 1809, President Abraham Lincoln was born. President Lincoln had a profound effect on his home state of Illinois, and the entire nation, through his work to end slavery in the United States. Happy birthday, Mr. President!
In honor of his birthday, here are some fun facts about President Lincoln:
- Lincoln was the first Republican-elected president and only the second presidential candidate from that party.
- Lincoln was the first president not born in one of the original thirteen states.
- Lincoln remains the tallest person to serve as president, at 6’ 4″.
- Lincoln remains the only president to hold a patent. His invention was a device for lifting boats over obstructions in the water.
- Lincoln is the most written-about figure in American history, with more than 18,000 books devoted to him.