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Abraham Lincoln Quotes: Wisdom and Inspiration from the 16th President

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Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He is one of the most revered figures in American history and is often regarded as one of the greatest U.S. presidents. Here are some key points about Abraham Lincoln:

1. Early Life: Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky, but he spent most of his childhood in Indiana and Illinois. He had little formal education but was an avid reader and largely self-taught.

2. Law Career: Lincoln became a lawyer and served in the Illinois State Legislature for several terms. He was known for his wit and eloquence.

3. Political Career: He was elected as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1847, where he spoke out against the Mexican-American War and the spread of slavery. His opposition to the extension of slavery into new territories brought him to national attention.

4. Presidency: Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States in 1860 as a member of the newly formed Republican Party. His election triggered the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861.

5. Civil War: Lincoln faced the immense challenge of preserving the Union during the Civil War, which pitted the Northern states against the Southern Confederate states. He was determined to end the war and to abolish slavery in the Confederate states.

6. Emancipation Proclamation: In 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all enslaved people in Confederate territory were to be set free. This was a significant step toward the abolition of slavery.

7. Gettysburg Address: Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address in 1863 during the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In it, he emphasized the principles of liberty and equality and the need for a "new birth of freedom" for the United States.

8. Reelection: Lincoln was reelected in 1864, and as the war drew to a close, he focused on the process of Reconstruction to bring the seceded states back into the Union.

9. Assassination: Tragically, Abraham Lincoln's life was cut short when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. He died the following day.

10. Legacy: Abraham Lincoln is remembered for his leadership during a tumultuous period in American history. He is particularly celebrated for his role in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, and his enduring commitment to the principles of liberty and equality. He is often referred to as "Honest Abe" and is considered one of America's greatest presidents.

Abraham Lincoln's contributions to the United States and his impact on the nation's history have left a lasting legacy, and his words and actions continue to inspire people around the world.


Here are 100+ famous quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln:

1. "Whatever you are, be a good one."

2. "I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to let him down."

3. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

4. "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."

5. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

6. "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward."

7. "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

8. "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

9. "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

10. "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

These are just a selection of some of Abraham Lincoln's most famous quotes. He was known for his eloquence and wisdom, and his words continue to inspire and resonate with people to this day. If you'd like more quotes or have specific themes or topics in mind, feel free to ask!

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Here are 100 quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln:

1. "Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be."

2. "Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."

3. "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."

4. "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

5. "I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be."

6. "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."

7. "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

8. "All I have learned, I learned from books."

9. "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

10. "I would rather be a little nobody than to be an evil somebody."

11. "My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure."

12. "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."

13. "You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose."

14. "I am a slow walker, but I never walk back."

15. "The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."

16. "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."

17. "Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves."

18. "Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition."

19. "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

20. "The ballot is stronger than the bullet."

21. "With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed."

22. "Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all."

23. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

24. "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion."

25. "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew."

26. "Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it."

27. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

28. "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

29. "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts."

30. "I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."

31. "Every one desires to live long, but no one would be old."

32. "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues."

33. "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."

34. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

35. "Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them."

36. "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me."

37. "I would rather be assassinated than see a single star removed from the American flag."

38. "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better."

39. "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses."

40. "To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own."

41. "I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."

42. "I am a slow walker, but I never walk back."

43. "I will prepare and someday my chance will come."

44. "My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of Earth."

45. "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."

46. "It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

47. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

48. "Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm."


“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then Stand firm..!!💫”
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then Stand firm..!!💫”

49. "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."

50. "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

51. "The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."

52. "Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition."

53. "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."

54. "I am a slow walker, but I never walk back."

55. "The philosophy of the schoolhouse in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next."

56. "The time comes upon every public man when it is best for him to keep his lips closed."

57. "I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be."

58. "I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."

59. "To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own."

60. "No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent."

61. "Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it."

62. "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

63. "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."

64. "I am not concerned that you have fallen; I am concerned that you arise."

65. "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me."

66. "I would rather be assassinated than see a single star removed from the American flag."

67. "The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."

68. "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

69. "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward."

70. "I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to

let him down."

71. "Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm."

72. "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."

73. "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew."

74. "Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves."

75. "The ballot is stronger than the bullet."

76. "With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed."

77. "Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all."

78. "Every one desires to live long, but no one would be old."

79. "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."

80. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

81. "Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them."

82. "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues."

83. "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."

84. "I will prepare and someday my chance will come."

85. "My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of Earth."

86. "Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it."

87. "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better."

88. "You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose."

89. "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."

90. "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

91. "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."

92. "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

93. "All I have learned, I learned from books."

94. "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

95. "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me."

96. "I would rather be assassinated than see a single star removed from the American flag."

97. "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better."

98. "The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."

99. "I am a slow walker, but I never walk back."

100. "I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to let him down."

Abraham Lincoln Quotes On Leadership

Abraham Lincoln's leadership during the American Civil War and his presidency left a legacy of wisdom and guidance on leadership. Here are some of his quotes on leadership:

1. "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts."

2. "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."

3. "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

4. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

5. "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

6. "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me."

7. "Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm."

8. "I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to let him down."

9. "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

10. "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."

11. "With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed."

12. "You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose."

13. "I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."

14. "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

15. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

These quotes reflect Lincoln's commitment to honesty, determination, responsibility, and the belief in the capacity of the people. They offer valuable insights into the principles of effective leadership that he exemplified during his time as the President of the United States.



Abraham Lincoln Quotes About Freedom

Abraham Lincoln had a profound commitment to the preservation of freedom and equality. Here are some quotes from Lincoln on the topic of freedom:

1. "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."

2. "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free."

3. "The United States is a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

4. "Freedom is the last, best hope of earth."

5. "We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility."

6. "The ballot is stronger than the bullet."

7. "As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master."

8. "Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere."

9. "Those who would deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."

10. "Property is the fruit of labor...property is desirable...is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise."

11. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

12. "Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought."

13. "We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last, best hope of earth."

14. "If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong."

15. "It is for us the living to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced."

These quotes highlight Lincoln's dedication to the principles of freedom and equality, especially during a time of great national turmoil and division in the United States. His leadership and vision played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's commitment to freedom and justice.



“I walk slowly, but I Never walk Backward..!!💫”
“I walk slowly, but I Never walk Backward..!!💫”

Abraham Lincoln Quotes Silence

Abraham Lincoln had several quotes related to the value of silence and thoughtful reflection. Here are some of his quotes on this topic:

1. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

2. "I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me."

3. "When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run."

4. "The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."

5. "A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall."

6. "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."

7. "It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong."

8. "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."

9. "He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help."

10. "I have stepped out upon this platform that I may see you and that you may see me, and in the arrangement, I have the best of the bargain."

These quotes reflect Lincoln's understanding of the importance of silence, patience, and reflection in making wise decisions and handling various situations in life.


Abraham Lincoln Quotes On Success

Abraham Lincoln had several quotes that touch on the theme of success and the qualities that contribute to achieving it. Here are some of his quotes on success:

1. "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other."

2. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

3. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

4. "I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to let him down."

5. "You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose."

6. "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

7. "The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."

8. "I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."

9. "I will prepare and someday my chance will come."

10. "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

These quotes reflect Lincoln's belief in determination, purpose, and the importance of doing what is right in the pursuit of success. His life and leadership are a testament to these principles.


Abraham Lincoln Quotes About Life

Abraham Lincoln had a profound understanding of life and often expressed his thoughts on various aspects of life. Here are some quotes from Lincoln on the topic of life:

1. "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

2. "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

3. "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

4. "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."

5. "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."

6. "I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."

7. "Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."

8. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have."

9. "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward."

10. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

These quotes reflect Lincoln's wisdom and his perspective on life, emphasizing the importance of character, the value of time, and the significance of staying true to one's principles. Lincoln's life and leadership exemplify these principles.



Abraham Lincoln Quotes Funny

While Abraham Lincoln is often remembered for his wisdom and eloquence, he also had a sense of humor and was known for his wit. Here are a few of his funny or witty quotes:

1. "If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?"

2. "My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure."

3. "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion."

4. "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

5. "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better."

6. "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."

7. "Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves."

8. "The ballot is stronger than the bullet."

9. "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."

10. "I am not concerned that you have fallen; I am concerned that you arise."

These quotes showcase Lincoln's ability to use humor and wit to make a point or defuse tension. He often used his humor as a tool for diplomacy and connecting with others.


Abraham Lincoln Quotes Civil War

Abraham Lincoln's leadership during the American Civil War is a defining aspect of his legacy. Here are some quotes from Lincoln that are related to the Civil War and the challenges the nation faced during that tumultuous period:

1. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

2. "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts."

3. "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds."

4. "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me."

5. "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion."

6. "I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

7. "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward."

8. "Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away."

9. "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses."

10. "It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong."

These quotes reflect Lincoln's deep understanding of the challenges and consequences of the Civil War, as well as his commitment to preserving the Union and achieving a just and lasting peace.



Abraham Lincoln Quotes On Education

Abraham Lincoln recognized the importance of education and often expressed his views on the subject. Here are some quotes from Lincoln on education:

1. "Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we, as a people, may be engaged in."

2. "My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read."

3. "The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next."

4. "Education does not mean teaching people what they do not know. It means teaching them to behave as they do not behave."

5. "All I have learned, I learned from books."

6. "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion."

7. "Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all."

8. "I have always maintained that, excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work."

9. "The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read."

10. "The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."

These quotes illustrate Lincoln's belief in the power of education and its ability to shape individuals and society for the better. He valued knowledge and recognized its significance in personal and national development.


Abraham Lincoln Quotes About Slavery

Abraham Lincoln was a staunch opponent of slavery, and his presidency during the American Civil War played a pivotal role in the abolition of slavery in the United States. Here are some quotes from Lincoln related to slavery:

1. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

2. "I have always hated slavery, I think, as much as any abolitionist."

3. "If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong."

4. "As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master."

5. "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."

6. "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it."

7. "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free."

8. "Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history."

9. "We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last, best hope of earth."

10. "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."

11. "The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one."

12. "I have issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and I can never retract it."

13. "You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors."

14. "In times like the present, men should utter nothing for which they would not willingly be responsible through time and eternity."

These quotes reflect Lincoln's evolving position on slavery and his eventual commitment to its abolition, as well as the profound impact his presidency had on ending slavery in the United States.




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