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

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

"Path to success and ambition is broad enough for two." 

 "In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you.... You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it."

"I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families--second families, perhaps I should say. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks.... My father ... removed from Kentucky to ... Indiana, in my eighth year.... It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up.... Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher ... but that was all."

“Euclid's first common notion is this: 'Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to each other.'"

He shares the credit of success with those who helped him

Aware of His Own Weaknesses

Controls Anger and apologizes (while not holding grudge) if he can't

Perseverance through hard times ( while during the slavery war; ignores doubt from others to affect his goals)

Could Communicate Desires And Goals

While listening to others, he paid attention to tone, pitch, and how the message was delivered to get the "real" meaning in what is being said

Always left space for others to talk and insert their opinions

Always had a passion for what he was talking about

Used language that let others feel welcome in the conversation

Always left a clear vision of what he wanted

Only worked with those who weren't afraid to challenge Lincoln's Statements

Made and Found common grounds with others to form personal level connects

Knew when all the information he needed was told

Looked away from major buisnesses for innovative ideas

Lead Country during American Civil War

Wanted to see the US forgive, heal, and rebuild

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Haycopy-1.jpg

He ran for Illinois General Assembly (Gained Political Experience)

Was an adept lawyer and politician winning acquittal in a famous murder case

Won a spot on the U.S Circuit Court

1846 ran for U.S House of Representatives and won (Whig Candidate)

Won 180 votes out of 303 in 1860

On Jan. 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation

 Lincoln came to be known as "the Great Emancipator."

In the immediate aftermath of this battle, Lincoln was nominated to run for re-election.

Lincoln was intruducueded on March 4, 1865.

Called in politcial opponents and had them serve in his administration

Created The National Currency Act on Feb. 25 1863, Resulting in Modern Currency

Part of Republican Party from 1861-1865

He was a Talented Wrestler

Pattented New Design for Steamboats

Ran Store in New Salem

Vice Presidents: Hannibal Hamlin and Andrew Johnson

Lifespan Feb. 12, 1809 - April 19, 1865 [Died on good friday] (56 years of Life)

Captain in The Black Hawk War of 1832

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/abraham-lincoln.html

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/abraham_lincoln.html

http://www.nps.gov/saga/forteachers/upload/Lincoln%20Biography.pdf

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RMygAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA20&dq=Abraham+Lincoln&ots=mf3DeU8476&sig=GITSygrNLgiNwc9VjVqEJbqPTY0#v=onepage&q=Abraham%20Lincoln&f=false

http://www.ducksters.com/biography/uspresidents/abrahamlincoln.php

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/lincoln-as-a-leader-of-men/http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/abraham-lincoln.html

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/35/135eb6be-ea07-11df-a2fb-0017a4a78c22/4cd5f49d5752d.preview-300.jpg

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

http://www.alincoln-library.com/facts-about-abraham-lincoln.shtml.

http://hr.blr.com/whitepapers/Staffing-Training/Leadership/10-Qualities-that-Made-Abraham-Lincoln-a-Great-Lea

https://hbr.org/2009/04/leadership-lessons-from-abraham-lincoln

http://mcclariegroup.com/3-leadership-qualities-of-abraham-lincoln/

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/abrahamlincoln2.htm

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225284

http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/lincoln/terms.html http://hr.blr.com/whitepapers/Staffing-Training/Leadership/10-Qualities-that-Made-Abraham-Lincoln-a-Great-Lea

Holland, Julian, Sarah Laver, Nigel White, and Janet Laver. "Politicians." 1000 Years of Famous People. Ed. Rachel Hutchings. Clive Glifford ed. Vol. 1. New York: Kingfisher, 2002. 19. Print.

Barber, James. "Abraham Lincoln."Presidents. 1st ed. Vol. 1. New York: Dorling Kindersley Pub., 2000. 24-27. Print.