Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is often referred to as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.  Lincoln is one of the most respected and beloved American Presidents for reasons that include saving the Union, issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, guiding the United States through its only Civil War, and exhibiting strength of character.  Lincoln’s legacy as a champion of freedom is infused throughout American society today.  To celebrate this influential President, Teaching with Historic Places has placed on the web the following lesson plans that help to emphasize Lincoln’s life, presidency, and legacy.  These lessons, based on sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places, are free and ready for immediate classroom use by students in history and social studies classes.

• Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial:
  Forging Greatness during Lincoln's Youth
  Examine Lincoln's formative years on the Indiana frontier and determine how this experience influenced the development of his character traits, moral values, and personality. Furthermore, identify how these formative years ultimately influenced his actions as President of the United States.

• Lincoln Home National Historic Site:
  A Place of Growth and Memory
  Learn how Abraham Lincoln's belief in freedom and democracy, his eloquence, and the support of family and community propelled him to the White House and uplifted him through the turbulent Civil War.

• Choices and Commitments: The Soldiers at Gettysburg
  Determine Abraham Lincoln’s attitude toward the soldiers and the Civil War in a lesson plan about the wrenching personal decisions made by Union and Confederate soldiers at the Battle of Gettysburg.  Evaluate the meaning of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the cemetery for Union dead.

• President Lincoln's Cottage: A Retreat
  Explore President Abraham Lincoln’s life at a country retreat during summer months and examine the work he completed there on the Emancipation Proclamation.

Coming Soon:
The Lincoln Memorial: Defining Freedom on the National Mall

Other National Park Service Cultural Resources programs also offer information on Abraham Lincoln’s life, presidency, and legacy.  Explore the Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary, American Presidents and discover historic Lincoln sites in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Washington, DC that shaped this influential President.  Also tour the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Virtual Museum Exhibit.

To learn more about TwHP's other lessons, visit the Lesson Plan Descriptions page.