Abraham Lincoln
Background Information & Activities

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Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky. His parents were both illiterate farmers and Abraham Lincoln was largely self-taught. He devoured books and studied American history, English history, and even Shakespeare. As a young man, he worked on the family’s farmlands and as a shopkeeper. There are many stories about Lincoln’s honesty—he once walked for miles just to give a woman six cents that he had overcharged her. Thus, he received the nickname “Honest Abe.”

At 22 years old, Lincoln left his family and set out to Illinois. There he taught himself about the law and was admitted to the Illinois Bar Association. He worked as a successful lawyer for several years and was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. As a Representative, Lincoln spoke out against the war with Mexico and protested slavery. Many historians argue about Lincoln’s stance on slavery. Some say that his personal views and the views he revealed to the larger public were at odds. As a politician, Lincoln addressed the issue of slavery delicately. Still, his opinions were known and worried southern states that supported slavery.

In 1860, Lincoln ran for president and won the election, becoming the first Republican president of the United States. Before his inauguration, seven southern states declared their secession from the United States, forming the Confederate States of America. Other southern states remained with the Union but showed their support for the Confederacy. Lincoln refused to recognize the Confederacy and promised the country that it would not be divided. Thus, the Civil War began.

In 1862, Congress passed the Second Confiscation Act, which freed slaves in territories not under Union control. Lincoln enacted this law with his Emancipation Proclamation. Slaves were freed in the rebellious states and the Confederacy was weakened. However, slaves were not freed in the border states, whose support and loyalty Lincoln needed. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves, it brought the problem of slavery to the forefront. Eventually, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and all people were free.

Shortly after the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln went to the Ford Theater to watch a play. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate spy, shot Lincoln in the head and fatally wounded him. Lincoln died in a house across the street from the theater. Booth escaped but the army tracked him down and shot him.

Encourage your children to understand that President Lincoln was one of our country’s greatest heroes, leading the country in a time of unrest and moving the country toward abolishing slavery completely. We commemorate his life and achievements through memorials such as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. His face appears on the penny and on the five-dollar bill as well as on Mount Rushmore. We celebrate President’s Day in February, the month of his birthday. We recommend watching the President movie together as a review.

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Abraham Lincoln Teacher Activities

© 1999-2013 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Biography

Explain to your students that a biography is a book that tells all about a person. Biographies discuss a person’s childhood and their thoughts, dreams, successes, and even failures. They discuss important events in they person’s life and discuss important people in the person’s life. Divide your students into pairs and have them interview each other to write a mini-biography. You may want to brainstorm a list of questions for your students to ask each other first. After students write their mini-biographies, have them illustrate their books with pictures or photographs or create a collage for the cover of different items and hobbies their subject enjoys.

Presidents' Day Party

In honor of Presidents' Day in February, throw a birthday party for Abraham Lincoln. Students can dress up as the president by making beards out of cotton balls and hats out of construction paper. Have students discuss Abraham Lincoln’s achievements and the qualities of his character. The class can sing “Happy Birthday” to Lincoln and make plaques, monuments, or memorials to the president in class.

Timeline

Together as a class, make a timeline of Abraham Lincoln’s life. If possible, pin a long piece of string around the classroom and write important dates along the string. Students can illustrate pictures and write short sentences that describe an important event in Abraham Lincoln’s life. Important dates include his birth, his marriage, the birth and death of his children, when he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, when he was elected president, when the Civil War started and ended, and his death.

Abraham Lincoln Family Activities

© 1999-2013 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Lincoln Memorial

If possible, visit a memorial that commemorates Abraham Lincoln. Many cities and towns have plaques or statues celebrating his life. Historical societies, museums, and libraries often have a painting of the president. Discuss how Lincoln changed the United States and how he worked to keep it together during a tumultuous time. If you do not have a memorial near you, have your child draw up plans for a memorial in your town or neighborhood. How would your child like to celebrate Lincoln’s life?

Herography

A hero or role model like Abraham Lincoln can be a positive force in a child’s life. Discuss the qualities of Abraham Lincoln or any person your child looks up to. What makes this person special? How does this person rise above the rest during tough times? How does this person solve problems, fight injustice, or bring people together? Have your children write a biography of his or her hero. Then select a day during the year where your child can commemorate this person, just as we celebrate President’s Day or Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Land of Lincoln

We celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s life in many ways. His face appears on Mount Rushmore, the penny, and the five-dollar bill. He has a special memorial in Washington, D.C. and several cities and counties are named in his honor. Have your child look through encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, and maps to find cities and towns that are named after Abraham Lincoln and to find memorials to the president. Encourage your child to think about why there are so many memorials to this president.