We have compiled for you a list of famous Abraham Lincoln quotes and sayings about various topics.
Abraham Lincoln, February 12, 1809 – April 12, 1809, was the 16th President of the United States. Lincoln opposed slavery, and soon after becoming president, the Civil War began.
Lincoln led the nation through its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis in the American Civil War. He preserved the Union, abolished slavery, and strengthened the federal government.
In 1865, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at the Ford Theater in Washington, DC. He died the next day from his gunshot wounds.
Famous Abraham Lincoln Quotes
Here are some of Abraham Lincoln famous quotes and some of his most memorable quotes.
“Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”
“Love is the chain to lock a child to its parent.”
“You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry.”
“Every man’s happiness is his own responsibility.”
“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”
“I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.”
“Human action can be modified to some extent, but human nature cannot be changed.”
of Abraham Lincoln Famous Quotes About Life and People
A selection of some of the famous quotes from Abraham Lincoln on various topics.
“I don’t like that man; I must get to know him better.”
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
“My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.”
“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.”
“I will prepare, and someday my chance will come.”
“No man is poor who has a Godly mother.”
“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.”
“I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.”
“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.”
“Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.”
Abraham Lincoln Quotes on Success, Leadership and Power
Read Abraham Lincoln words on success and power and find some of his leadership quotes.
“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.”
“Leave nothing for tomorrow, which can be done today.”
“I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”
“I would rather be a little nobody, than to be an evil somebody.”
“If I am killed, I can die but once; but to live in constant dread of it, is to die over and over again.”
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing.”
“I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.”
“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.”
“That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.”
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”
You will enjoy reading Theodore Roosevelt quotes.
Abraham Lincoln Quotes on Life
“I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.”
“He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.”
“The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.”
“A farce or comedy is best played; a tragedy is best read at home.”
“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
“People who like that kind of a book that is the kind of book they will like.”
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”
“And in the end, it is not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.”
Insightful Quotes from Abraham Lincoln
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.”
“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”
“I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.”
“The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land.”
“I have stepped out upon this platform that I may see you and that you may see me, and in the arrangement, I have the best of the bargain.”
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
“I never had a policy; I have just tried to do my very best each and every day.”
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
“If we have no friends, we have no pleasure; and if we have them, we are sure to lose them, and be doubly pained by the loss.”
“When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say.”
Abraham Lincoln Quotes on Slavery and Freedom
Here are famous Abraham Lincoln quotes on slavery and freedom.
“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”
“This is a world of compensations; and he who would be no slave, must consent to have no slave. Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot long retain it.”
“I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.”
“If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.”
You will enjoy reading freedom quotes.
“The one victory we can ever call complete will be that one which proclaims that there is not one slave or one drunkard on the face of God’s green earth.”
“I have talked with great men, and I do not see how they differ from others.”
“I believe this Government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.”
“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free – honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best, hope of earth.”
“No man is good enough to govern another man, without that other’s consent. I say this is the leading principle-the sheet anchor of American republicanism.”
“Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”
Abraham Lincoln Quotes on God and Religion
“Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.”
“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how a man could look up into the sky and say there is no God.”
“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
Abraham Lincoln Quotes on Democracy and Government
“Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable, a most sacred right, a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world.”
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”
“Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.”
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will because we destroyed ourselves.”
“I can make a General in five minutes, but a good horse is hard to replace.”
Final Words
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was a man of profound wisdom and eloquence. His quotes reflect his deep understanding of human nature, democracy, and the struggle for freedom.
From the iconic “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” to the inspiring “Whatever you are, be a good one,” Lincoln’s words resonate with timeless relevance.
His commitment to justice is evident in quotes like “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis.”
His call for unity and reconciliation is encapsulated in “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”
Throughout history, Abraham Lincoln’s quotes continue to inspire and guide generations, embodying the enduring principles upon which the United States was founded.
He was a remarkable leader, known for his wise and inspiring words. His quotes still resonate today, reminding us of the importance of perseverance, honesty, and compassion. His belief in freedom and equality continues to inspire generations around the world.
We hope you enjoyed reading this collection of Abraham Lincoln quotes.
More information about Abraham Lincoln.
Quotes Directory >> Abraham Lincoln Quotes
About the Author
Remez Sasson is the founder of SuccessConsciousness.com, a leading resource for personal growth and self-transformation. With decades of experience in self-improvement and meditation, Remez has empowered countless individuals worldwide to unlock their potential.
Join him on an extraordinary journey to self-improvement, success, positivity, inner peace, meditation, clarity, and personal mastery through his articles, books, and the comprehensive resources on his website.