What are some myths about Abraham Lincoln?

No American hero, with the possible exception of George "I Cannot Tell a Lie" Washington, has been more encrusted with myth than Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln did boast virtues that required little embellishment. He rose from obscurity through hard work, self-education and honesty. He endured venomous... read more

He endured venomous criticism to save the Union and end slavery. He died shortly after his greatest triumph at the hands of an assassin. But tall-tale-tellers have never hesitated to rewrite Lincoln's biography. On Presidents' Day, it's well worth dispelling some perennial misconceptions about the man on the $5 bill. read more

One of the biggest myths is that Lincoln failed at everything he did before becoming president. The Glurge of Springfield. Actually, the Illinois Central Railroad was a client of his law firm, and evidently paid him well. Lincoln could afford to build one of the biggest houses in Springfield and entertained there lavishly. read more

After over one hundred years, it continues to be almost impossible for us to ask certain basic questions about the role of Abraham Lincoln in the formation of a characteristically American politics. At every appropriate point of inquiry, the Lincoln myth obtrudes. read more