Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
February 12 · Level 3 · #1636 of 2238
Abraham Lincoln's Birthday commemorates the sixteenth US president and his place in American history. The occasion recalls his leadership during the Civil War, his efforts to preserve the Union and his role in ending slavery.
How it is celebrated: ceremonies and wreath-layings take place at memorials, while museums and historical societies offer talks and tours. Educational events revisit his speeches and the difficult decisions of his presidency.
Lincoln's portrait first appeared on the US one-cent coin in 1909, marking the hundredth anniversary of his birth. The commemoration put a piece of presidential history into everyday pockets.