Abraham Lincoln is one of the most recognizable figures in U.S. history. His accomplishments and the sheer weight of academic scholarship and cultural infusion have raised him to an almost mythic status for many Americans. Yet, in many ways his was just like you and me. Family relationships, personal beliefs, and how to reconcile where he was from to where he wanted to go were all things the Lincoln struggled with throughout his life. Many times in our study of American history these aspects of the people we study get passed over. Many Americans know The Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation, but fewer have looked at what shaped the man who wrote those documents. This website hopes to correct that. Admittedly, this site only scratches the surface of the inner Lincoln, yet hopefully the documents and resources presented here will help you begin to see a more human side of our 16th president.
Each document presented here is annotated in order to provide a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the text. If looking at Lincoln from this angle appeals to you Douglas Wilson's Honor's Voice and Michael Burlingame's The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln delve deeper into this topic.
Each document presented here is annotated in order to provide a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the text. If looking at Lincoln from this angle appeals to you Douglas Wilson's Honor's Voice and Michael Burlingame's The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln delve deeper into this topic.