Lincoln started the process of making it a federal holiday in 1863, crystallizing something that had been around since the days of the Pilgrims Kat Eschner As if the country didn't have enough to ...

Major Acts In practical terms, the achievements of Abraham Lincoln are mammoth, yet simple to describe: he confronted the secession of the South and the dissolution of the Union with all the political ...

Smithsonian Magazine brings history, science, nature, culture and travel to you: Explore history and archaeology from the Sphinx to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Catch up on the latest science ...

Kurzius Ask Smithsonian: You asked, we answered Smithsonian magazine A sampling of motherly missives to the president ...