Guess which famous person was born today...

I'll give you a few hints:

He was born in 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky
He grew up a member of a poor family in Kentucky and Indiana
He attended school for only one year, but thereafter read on his own in a continual effort to enhance his mind
Standing a whopping 6'4," he was a popular wrestler in Illinois
He entertained friends and strangers alike with his folksy wit and sense of humor, which helped him conceal bouts of depression
He was quite the animal lover
As an adult, he lived in Illinois and performed a slew of jobs before entering politics, including stints as a surveyor, postmaster, surveyor, and shopkeeper
He served in the Illinois legislature from 1834 to 1836, and then became an attorney
In 1842, he married Mary Todd, with whom he raised four sons
He became leader of the new Republican party
Known as the Great Emancipator, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation
He warned that "a house divided against itself cannot stand"
He guided the United States through the bloodiest conflict in U.S. history
He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth

Any idea who it is? Hopefully the last couple of bullets gave it away.

If you guessed Abraham Lincoln, you're correct! The man they called "Honest Abe," arguably one of the best presidents in U.S. history, would have turned 207 today.

There's no denying that the United States -- and the world as we know it -- might have been a lot different today if it hadn't been for the 16th president's wide-ranging contributions.

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