Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents to ever hold office in the history of the United States, serving from 1860 to 1865. A self-taught lawyer from Illinois, he proved his worth being a brilliant leader during the Civil War period. Although President Abraham Lincoln faced the greatest crisis in American history, he saved the nation by preserving the Union during the Civil War, reviving the economy, fighting to abolish slavery, and reviving the Northern economy. Abraham Lincoln's greatest challenge during his presidency was preserving the Union during the Civil War after the Southern states seceded from the Union. There were many divisive issues in the United States before his election in 1860, and his presidential victory was the straw that broke the camel's back that led to the Civil War. The North and South were already separating due to regional differences, socially, politically, culturally and economically. Slavery was one of the major factors that led to the division between the North and the South. Preserving the Union while half the country refused to abide by federal law during secession was extremely challenging, yet Abraham Lincoln decided to fight the war against the South not only to abolish slavery, but above all to preserve the Union. He dedicated himself to the fight for equality for all men in the United States, as mentioned in his famous Gettysburg Address: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers created on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." He used it to make a fundamental point: if all men are created equal, then all men are free. His speech to the divided House showed his determination to maintain…half-paper…alization, and thus a better economy and more war supplies. By signing these three historic acts, Abraham Lincoln modernized the North American economy by opening economic opportunities to millions of citizens, expanding and improving the North's educational system, and uniting the vast Northern region through the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Lincoln faced an extremely difficult crisis during his presidency. Through his brilliant leadership, passionate speeches and great achievements, he was able to save the nation. Who knows what would have happened to the nation without the leadership of President Abraham Lincoln. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865 was an extremely tragic day, but his legacy as one of the greatest presidents in United States history will never be forgotten.