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Primary sourceBook1905 (writings mostly from 1860)

The Autobiography of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln · 1905 (writings mostly from 1860)

A 1905 edition collecting Lincoln's own autobiographical sketches, including his 1860 autobiography and other personal writings.

This book contains Lincoln's own autobiographical sketches, written largely in his own words.

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About this source

What it is

This 1905 book collects autobiographical writings by Abraham Lincoln, including a short autobiography he wrote in June 1860 for a campaign biography, a memorandum given to a correspondent named Hicks, a sketch written for a man named Fell, a speech at Springfield, and other writings. It was published by the Francis D. Tandy Company, selected from an earlier complete works edition.

Why it matters

These are rare cases where Lincoln described his own life in his own words, rather than being described by others. The 1860 autobiography was written specifically to help the public learn about him during his presidential campaign, making it a deliberate piece of self-presentation as well as a historical record.

Look closer

  • Why might Lincoln have been asked to write an autobiography specifically during his 1860 campaign?
  • How might a politician choose what to include or leave out when writing about himself for public use?
  • What differences might you expect between Lincoln's own account of his life and a biography written by someone else?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Abraham Lincoln on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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