Everyone says because he freed the slaves. Do you think he freed the slaves because he believed in equality? On more then one occasion he stated he believed that the slaves should return to africa and not stay in america. Freeing the slaves was a turning point in the civil war. By opposing slavery he garnered more support for his side and he could make slaves on the rebels side not want to fight against the north.

 While i agree that he is one of the greatest presidents ever and an American. What about billy graham,who has counseled probably a dozen presidents. Or how about reagan getting the wall brought down. Or the inventor of the computer.

 While Lincoln is undoubtedly among the greatest Americans in our brief history, it's impossible to say who was/is THE greatest. There have been so many who have contributed to the greatness of this country, it's impossible to determine who among them is the most outstanding American.

 I cannot say that there was one individual that was a great American. Each "great" american has a support system who work tirelessly to help their "boss". President Lincoln had the vice president, the secretary of state, and the rest of his cabinet. There are so many other people in this country, unknown, who are doing great in this country everyday. Look at People Magazine's Heroes of the Week. It shows ordinary people doing extraordinary things, like saving babies, elders, and animals, and their families are their support system. You can only be a great american with a great support system.

 No he was not. Abe is played out by pretty much every single textbook as a glorious symbol for human rights. The fact is that he did not stand for all rights he disbanded Habeas Corpus and tried to ship the blacks to Africa. He used "enhanced interrogation methods" on the Confederate POWs. He may have saved the nation but that does not make him a great man.

 Abraham Lincoln should not be known as the greatest American ever. He was definitely not honest, he was corrupt, and he broke the rules set by the constitution. For example when the south decided to pull away from the union he had no right (based on the constitution) to force or even try to force them to rejoin. He terrorized many true hard working Americans black and white, and (sadly) truth be told John Wilkes Booth was a better man than Licoln.

 I marvel at how many critics there are against this great American... Without him we would not have a country, if you study history... God used him in mighty ways from such a humble beginning. He is the greatest leader in American History and thus the greatest president of all time.

 He didn't want blacks to be equal to whites, he just let them have freedom so he could use them to fight against the south.

 Greatness, is measured in many different ways. You can't just pick one and name it THE best.

He is ONE OF but not THE greatest

 He promised the blacks land and money! They never got! #1 He promised them, after the war was over, 20 acres and a mule! And they are STILL waiting!
HE WAS THE FIRST Republican to lie to the American People!

 I can't even say that he was a great American. He was President during the Civil War. He overstepped his authority and started the Civil War. He won and preserved the Union. He signed a piece of paper that freed the slaves of the southern states, but was worth nothing. Lip service is now played to State's Rights by the Federal Government because Lincoln did away with them. No, I'm not sure that he was even a great American.

 He is one of the greatest but not the greatest..

 He was one of our Greatest Presidents, but I wouldn't say greatest American.

 If you are saying the greatest president, I would agree, as far as greatest American, there are many many more whose inventions or actions far surpass Lincoln's. Foe example, Dr. Jonas Salk, the discoverer of the polio vaccine.

 Abe was a racist. Teddy Roosevelt was the greatest American, ever.

 He was a filthy racist, just read true history. Don't read the rubbish that school teaches you.

 No he is not the greatest person in America!

 Quote from mr. Lincoln 1860- 'if i could preserve the union without freeing a single slave i would do it....'

 NO, there are a lot more people in the world that have done more important things for the people than ABE.

 How could a man that tells soldiers to set blaze to all homes that had slaves in the south a good man or role model. He "set free" the blacks. Yet, think about this- a slave cost to today's equivalent of a car. They were expense so why would every owner be cruel, as we have been taught in schools. After they were set free many wanted to stay. I am not saying that slavery is right by any means. However, I do not believe they were treated as badly as we have been taught. Now consider the burning down towns taking livestock. This left the people in the south what? With nothing. How can a wonderful man do that to his fellow Americans. It could have been left along with freeing them. The sad truth is it wasn't. After studying the civil war and Lincoln I have changed my thinking of Lincoln. I believed him to be a great man. Now I realize he was a corrupt man.

 I am soooo against it he forced people 2 stay in his country. People have the right to move out of a country and form a new one!

 Let's see Lincoln shut down the newspapers, put dangerous people in jail without trial, and wanted to deport blacks back to Africa. Why do we consider him a hero and are critical of President Carter, Clinton, and Bush?

 He was a great man for his time.

 As much as I like him I can't say he is the best.. He did things against himself a lot...
I live no far form his families new England estate in Vermont. He free slaved yet owned several.. To many more things to write. He was great but he wasn't the greatest!

 Most of the good attributed to him was unintended side effects of what he was actually wanting.

 Who is the greatest American? You? Me? For all we know, the greatest has yet to be born in a later generation. In my mind, Abraham Lincoln was a wonderful man, but only a role model. Who is to say that freeing slaves is the best thing Americans can do? It was great of him, but I don't think you have to make dramatic changes to be the best citizen. A patriotic person living a normal life is all I need.

 How can you decide who the greatest was Lincoln was a man just like any other man except he strived for a change and succeeded he had his faults just like everyone else so there's no reason to put him up above anyone else all that's important is that he was an American

 He was good but I can't agree only because the statement says "THE greatest American". If it said "One Of..." then I would agree. Besides, everyone has their own heroes...

 I agree with logic. He was very unfair to the blacks.