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# Abraham Lincoln

## Overview

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 to April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States,
serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War,
defeating the Confederate States of America and playing a major role in the abolition of slavery.

## Legacy

In surveys of U.S. scholars ranking presidents since 1948, the top three presidents are generally Lincoln,
George Washington, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, although the order varies. Between 1999 and 2011,
Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan were the top-ranked presidents in eight public opinion surveys
by Gallup. A 2004 study found that scholars in history and politics ranked Lincoln number one, while legal
scholars placed him second after Washington.