--- title: "What is a little known fact about Abraham Lincoln?" description: "What is a little known fact about Abraham Lincoln?" author: "Sanjay Goenka" published: 2022-10-26 canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98621/what-is-a-little-known-fact-about-abraham-lincoln category: "famous personalities" tags: ["famous people"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # What is a little known fact about Abraham Lincoln? What is a [little known](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/1773/little-known-facts-about-shivalinga) fact about Abraham Lincoln? ## Answers ### Answer by Subhamay Ganai Abraham Lincoln is one of the most iconic and well-known figures in American history. He is best known for his role as the 16th president of the [**United States**](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98119/can-india-depend-on-united-states-of-america-usa), leading the country through the Civil War and emancipating the slaves. Lincoln is also remembered for his famous speeches, including the Gettysburg Address. However, there are many things about [**Abraham Lincoln**](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98621/what-is-a-little-known-fact-about-abraham-lincoln) that are not as well known. Here are some little-known facts about this great American president. **1. Lincoln was a self-taught lawyer.** Before Lincoln became president, he worked as a [**lawyer**](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/300435/5-questions-to-ask-when-consulting-criminal-defense-lawyers). He was not formally educated in the law, but instead taught himself by reading legal textbooks. **2. Lincoln was once a wrestling champion.** In 1831, at the age of 22, Lincoln won a wrestling match against Jack Armstrong, the champion of his county. **3. Lincoln was a member of the Whig Party.** ![What is a little known fact about Abraham Lincoln?](https://answers.mindstick.com/questionanswer/6c3c936e-8897-4e5d-a845-316d77fa3878/images/53f190e2-bd42-4a2e-81ba-b5d350576105.png) Lincoln was not originally a member of the [**Republican Party**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)). He was a member of the Whig Party, which was one of the two main political parties in the United States during the mid-19th century. **4. Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated.** Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, just five days after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He was the first American president to be assassinated. **5. Lincoln is the only president to have a patent.** In 1849, Lincoln obtained a patent for a device that he invented to lift boats over shoals and sandbars. He is the only U.S. president to hold a patent. **6. Lincoln's birthday is not actually on February 12.** Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, but his birthday was not officially recognized as a holiday until 1866, when Congress declared it a national holiday. **7. Lincoln was not originally from Illinois.** Lincoln was born in Kentucky, but he moved to Illinois when he was 21 years old. **8. The Lincoln Memorial was not built until 1922.** The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. was not dedicated until 1922, 57 years after Lincoln's death. **9. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was not well-received at the time.** Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, one of his most famous speeches, was not initially well-received. The speech was criticized for its brevity and for its lack of concrete proposals. **10. Lincoln was not the tallest president.** Lincoln was not the tallest U.S. [**president**](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98160/who-is-the-better-president-in-terms-of-policies-biden-or-obama). He was 6 feet 4 inches tall, which made him taller than average for his time, but he was not the tallest president. That distinction belongs to Abraham Lincoln's contemporary, Lyndon B. Johnson, who was 6 feet 4.5 inches tall. --- Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98621/what-is-a-little-known-fact-about-abraham-lincoln Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.