- In office since
- March 4, 1861
- Left office
- April 15, 1865
- Born
- February 12, 1809
- Died
- April 15, 1865
- Religion
- Ietsism, Baptists[2]
Life phases1
One octagon for each phase of the life of Abraham Lincoln. Each of the eight axes is scored 0 to 5 against a written rubric from documented evidence, with its source; an axis without evidence is a gap, not a zero. There is no total and no ideal shape: it is a profile, not a ranking. Appearance and personality are not axes, because they cannot be scored from evidence.
President, 1861-18651861–1865Led the Union through the Civil War, issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and secured congressional passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, while suspending habeas corpus and approving the Dakota executions.
No total and no ideal shape: a longer spoke means more of that axis, so a long Misconduct spoke is more documented misconduct.
Scores, rubric and sources
- 01Education0.5 of 5
- High confidenceUnder 12 months of formal schooling by age 15, self-taught; read law on his own and was admitted to the Illinois bar on September 9, 1836.[1]Highest attainment by then: 1 secondary school, 2 some college, 3 bachelor's degree, 4 master's or professional degree, 5 doctorate.
- 02WealthNo evidence
- Net worth or income against the national thresholds of the time: 1 below the median household, 3 top 5%, 5 top 0.1%.
- 03Position5 of 5
- High confidenceSixteenth president and commander in chief; won 39.8% and 180 electoral votes in 1860 and about 55% and 212 of 233 electoral votes in 1864.[5]Scope of the role held: 1 entry level, 3 senior manager or legislator, 5 head of state or government, or the top role of a major institution.
- 04Public standingNo evidence
- Public approval or favourability where it was measured: 1 under 20%, 3 35 to 50%, 5 over 65%.
- 05HealthNo evidence
- Documented health where an examination or disclosure exists: 5 no documented concern, 1 a serious documented condition.
- 06MisconductNo evidence
- The documented legal and ethics record within the phase, as in the misconduct meter: 0 none documented, 1 only matters resolved in their favour, 2 an open matter, 3 one finding, 4 two or three, 5 four or more. More is more documented misconduct.
- 07Social good4 of 5
- Medium confidenceThe Emancipation Proclamation recognized the freedom of about 3.5 million enslaved people and the Thirteenth Amendment (House 119-56) abolished slavery; offset by suspension of habeas corpus, the draft and the approval of 38 Dakota executions.[5]Assessed effects of what they did in the phase on health, safety, education, rights and the environment, from official statistics or peer-reviewed evidence: 0 clearly harmful, 2.5 mixed, 5 clearly beneficial.
- 08Economic good3.5 of 5
- Low confidenceHomestead Act (160 acres), Morrill Land-Grant Act, Pacific Railway Acts, national banking acts, greenbacks (about $450 million circulating) and income tax (about one-fifth of revenue) built long-run institutions; national debt rose from $65 million (1860) to $2 billion (1866) in wartime.[5]Assessed effects of what they did in the phase on efficiency, growth and fiscal sustainability, from CBO and peer-reviewed evidence, as in the good-for-society reading: 0 clearly harmful, 2.5 mixed, 5 clearly beneficial.
Laws and contributions1
Laws1
Health, weight and religion appear only where the person, their physician or a reputable outlet has published them; each links to its source.