Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 in Kentucky to a poor family. He had little formal education but loved to read. As an adult, Lincoln became interested in politics and was elected as the 16th US President in 1860. As president, Lincoln led the country during the Civil War, keeping the states united. In 1863, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in Confederate states. After the Civil War ended in 1865, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth five days later. Though gone, Lincoln is still remembered today as one of America's greatest presidents for preserving the Union and ending slavery.