History of Abraham Lincoln in Timeline

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President, served from 1861 to 1865. He guided the Union through the Civil War, ultimately defeating the Confederacy. Lincoln is renowned for his pivotal role in abolishing slavery. His presidency also saw an expansion of federal power and modernization of the American economy. He was assassinated in 1865.

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Full Timeline

1900: Emergence as a Venerated Hero

From the late 19th century, Lincoln's American reputation grew slowly until the Progressive Era (1900–1920s), when he emerged as one of America's most venerated heroes, even among white Southerners.

1922: Dedication of the Lincoln Memorial

In 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., marking a high point in Lincoln's veneration.

1948: Beginning of Presidential Ranking Surveys

Since 1948, surveys of U.S. scholars ranking presidents generally place Lincoln, Washington, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the top three.

1968: Lerone Bennett Jr. Calls Lincoln a White Supremacist

In 1968, Lerone Bennett Jr. called Lincoln a white supremacist, arguing that Lincoln used ethnic slurs, told jokes that ridiculed blacks, opposed social equality, and proposed that freed slaves voluntarily move to another country.

1996: Personality Trait of Negative Capability

In his 1996 biography, David Herbert Donald opined that Lincoln was distinctly endowed with the personality trait of negative capability.

1999: Top-Ranked Presidents According to Gallup

Between 1999 and 2011, Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan were the top-ranked presidents in eight public opinion surveys, according to Gallup.

2004: Scholarly Ranking of Lincoln

In 2004, a study found that scholars in history and politics ranked Lincoln number one, while legal scholars placed him second after George Washington.

2009: Image Erosion

In 2009, Barry Schwartz wrote that Lincoln's image suffered "erosion, fading prestige, benign ridicule" in the late 20th century.

2011: Top-Ranked Presidents According to Gallup

Between 1999 and 2011, Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan were the top-ranked presidents in eight public opinion surveys, according to Gallup.

2019: Dedication of Room H-226

In 2019, Congress officially dedicated room H-226 in the United States Capitol to Abraham Lincoln, a room that served as the post office of the House while then-Representative Abraham Lincoln served in Congress from 1847 to 1849.

2023: Equivalent Value of 1861 Income Threshold

In 2023, the $800 income threshold from the 1861 Revenue Act is equivalent to $27,129. This act, signed by Lincoln, established the first U.S. income tax.