Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War are forever linked. The bloody conflict began in 1861, the year Lincoln was elected president. It ended in 1865, the year he was struck down by an assassin's bullet. During those years the admired and despised 16th president served as a brilliant commander in chief, ultimately keeping the nation together and freeing thousands of its enslaved people.

Noted historian and award-winning author Don Nardo has written many books for young people about American history. Nardo lives with his wife, Christine, in Massachusetts.