Take a look at this hat. Do you know who might have worn it? This was Abraham Lincoln's hat. He was the 16th president of the United States.

Many of the items that Lincoln owned or wore have been preserved. Historians study these items.They tell us about how Lincoln lived. For example, Lincoln used to keep important papers in his hat! He did that so he would not lose them.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was easily recognized

in his black wool overcoat.

A Difficult Time

Abraham Lincoln was president during a difficult time in the United States. The country was at war with itself. Lincoln wanted the country to stay together. He did not want it to be torn apart by the Civil War.

Lincoln often wore a long, black overcoat. This coat was special to him. It had been given to him as a gift. It had a hidden message. Inside the coat was a quilted eagle. It was surrounded by shields. The eagle held two banners. They read: “One Country, One Destiny.” Wearing this coat made Lincoln feel stronger. It was like his own shield. He worked hard to keep the country together.

Lincoln’s coat had a message sewn into it: “One Country, One Destiny.”

The Things He Carried

At the end of the war, Lincoln was shot and killed by a man who was angry. His name was John Wilkes Booth. Booth did not want the country to stay together. When Lincoln died, he had several items in his pockets. These artifacts tell historians a lot about him.

“A. Lincoln” was embroidered on his handkerchief.

His loose shirt button had a gold L on it.

Lincoln was a powerful person. Yet, the items in his pockets were simple. For example, he had a handkerchief. It had his name sewn onto it. He carried a fob, or ornament, to carry a pocket watch. Yet, he had no watch. He carried a button. It had fallen off his shirt and needed to be sewn back on.