In Every Category, Historians Awarded Him An A+.
Thanksgiving became a national holiday thanks to Abraham Lincoln, one of his lesser-known achievements. It was in 1863 that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday of November would be a national day of Thanksgiving. The holiday was once solely observed in New England.
As a result of his leadership throughout the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Abraham Lincoln was an obvious candidate for president. He received great honors from historians in all categories. While in office, he shepherded the country through one of its most contentious periods in history (Civil War). The United States was united and economically stable when Abraham Lincoln was killed in 1865.