11 Facts About Abraham Lincoln: Explore The Less Known

Abraham Lincoln (Credit: Pixabay)

What comes to mind when you think about Abraham Lincoln???.....The Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil War, and, of course, his horrific assassination are the first things that most people consider. His status as one of the greatest United States presidents was solidified by these historic events. Lincoln's life is made even more fascinating by the uncountable intriguing, little-known facts that lie behind the well-known tales. This blog post article offers a more comprehensive look at Abraham Lincoln's amazing life and explores the man behind the legend by examining 11 amazing facts about him that you most likely were unaware of.

1. He Was Self-Educated: Over the course of his early years, Abraham Lincoln had only a year or so of formal schooling. Lincoln was raised in poverty on the frontier and had to get by on any literature he could find. He taught himself to read and write by the soft light of a candle or fireplace since he had an unquenchable love for literature and by the time he reached adulthood, Lincoln had become a self-taught lawyer who was devoted to his studies and eventually passed the bar making him one of the most well-read presidents in history because of his dedication to education and study.

2. He Was a Wrestler in His Youth: Lincoln was renowned for his remarkable strength even before he was elected as the 16ᵗʰ President of The United States in the sense that he developed into a talented wrestler in his early years, a reputation that would follow him for the rest of his life not forgetting that it is said Lincoln played in almost 300 games and won almost all of them. Austin Gollaher, a man he eventually became lifelong friends with, was the opponent of his only recorded defeat. In addition to his reputation for honesty, Lincoln's wrestling prowess earned him the moniker "Honest Abe" for his fairness in the ring.

3. He Was The Tallest President in United States History: Lincoln was the tallest president in American history, standing a majestic 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm) tall. He had a commanding presence due to his height and characteristic beard, hence, Lincoln would have stood out in a crowd despite the fact that, in today's political climate, the average height of United States presidents is approximately 5 feet 11 inches and although Lincoln's height and physical presence are frequently cited as reasons for his perceived authority, many who knew him well also praised his kind and welcoming manner.

4. He Was The Only United States President to Hold a Patent: Amazingly, Abraham Lincoln was an innovator as well and he is unique in that he is the only American president to receive a patent. Lincoln received a patent in 1849 for a machine that raised boats over river barriers and despite never being employed commercially, the idea demonstrates his inventiveness and problem-solving approach. The boat in the invention had a set of bellows that could be expanded to lift it over obstacles like shoals which shows that Lincoln's innovative ideas were ahead of their time, even if it was never realized.

5. He Had a Speech Impediment: Lincoln had a speech impairment, even though he was known as a talented public speaker. In particular when he was younger, he occasionally stammered and had trouble pronouncing some words but he became one of the most eloquent speakers in American history despite his speech impairment. Lincoln's speeches, including the Gettysburg Address, are actually regarded as some of the most potent and timeless expressions in the English language, however, his tenacity and fortitude are demonstrated by his ability to overcome personal obstacles, such as his speech issues.

6. He Loved to Read, Especially The Bible: Abraham Lincoln held the Bible in the highest regard and despite not being a member of a formal church, Lincoln was greatly impacted by Christianity in the sense that regularly reading the Bible, he frequently included reference to Scripture into his remarks, particularly during the Civil War and although Lincoln's religious views have frequently been contested, it is certain that the Bible had a significant influence on his sense of justice and morality with his own convictions about the value of liberty and the morality of his cause being frequently expressed in his speeches.

7. He Suffered From Severe Depression: Abraham Lincoln fought a deep depression all of his life, despite his leadership, speeches, and wins whereby he suffered from what is now known as severe depression and called his periods of sadness "the blues." Those who knew him well were aware of his melancholy personality, but he rarely discussed it in public but Lincoln's ability to maintain composure over the most stormy periods in American history is still regarded as one of his best traits, despite his battles with depression with also his leadership being even more impressive because of his resilience in the face of personal hardship.

8. He Was The First United States President to Be Assassinated: Despite being a well-known and tragic occurrence, it continues to be one of the pivotal events in Lincoln's history whereby the first American president to be assassinated while in office was Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14ᵗʰ, 1865, a few days after the Confederacy submitted. Lincoln's passing signaled a significant shift in American history and the start of the Reconstruction era. Although his premature passing left the nation still split, his ideas about equality and unification persisted in motivating succeeding generations.

9. He Was The First United States President to Have a Beard: Lincoln became the first American president to grow his renowned beard at the age of 52. His desire to grow a beard has a lovely backstory where in a letter by a girl named Grace Bedell, then 11 years old, said that he would look better and appear more dignified if he had a beard, thus, Lincoln, who was always modest and considerate, adopted her recommendations and developed a thick beard, which would later become one of his distinguishing characteristics with one of the most identifiable features of Lincoln's image to this day being his beard.

10. He Had a Beloved Cat in The White House: Lincoln had a deep affection for animals in addition to politics whereby he had a pet cat named Tabby in the White House, and the president and his family adored her. To the surprise of several of his employees, Lincoln, who was known to love animals, let Tabby wander freely throughout the White House and throughout his administration, Lincoln adopted a number of animals, including Tabby, demonstrating his kindness and love for all animals.

11. He Was Nearly Blind in One Eye: Lincoln was almost blind in one eye, which is a little-known fact about his physical condition. A beam hit him in the head while he was a young man working on a farm, seriously damaging his left eye. He was only partially able to see after the accident, and it is considered that he might have lived the rest of his life functionally blind in that eye but Lincoln's remarkable fortitude and focus are demonstrated by his capacity to lead with such vision and clarity, both physically and figuratively, in spite of this setback.

Summary: A Legacy Beyond the Myths

One of the most admired individuals in American history is still Abraham Lincoln and the lesser-known details about his life provide a more comprehensive and detailed look at the man behind the legend, even though his leadership during the Civil War and his contribution to the abolition of slavery are widely known. Lincoln's life was full of incredible accomplishments and personal hardships that transformed him into the legend he is today, from his self-education and love of reading to his struggle with depression and the creation of a patent. We might have a more compassionate understanding of a man who, in spite of many obstacles, established a lasting legacy of freedom, equality, and tenacity by analyzing these 11 little-known facts about Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln's life serves as a reminder that greatness is characterized by both the quiet, individual victories that mold a person's character and the significant historical events, thus, Lincoln's narrative continues to inspire us all, whether it was about conquering personal challenges or making time for simple deeds of kindness.