Of all figures from America's past, Abraham Lincoln is dearest to the hearts of the American people. In fact, the admiration they have for him borders on worship. Writers note that the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. is not unlike the temples that ancient Greeks built in honor of their gods, and that annual ceremonies of celebrating Lincoln's birthday in schools and public places have sometimes had characteristics of religious services （仪式）. Certainly Lincoln is America's ideal of a great leader. He had many of the qualities of leadership that Americans admire.

First of all, Lincoln's career fits a popular American belief that every child can dream of becoming President. Americans admire the self-made person — the one who, with neither money nor family influence, fights his or her way to the top. Lincoln was born of poor parents. His mother died when he was young. He had little opportunity for schooling. His early study was done alone at night by the light of a fireplace. He did hard manual labor through the day — splitting rails for fences, taking care of livestock （牲畜）, working on a riverboat or in a store. But as he grew older he studied law in his spare time and became a lawyer. He was a good speaker and student of political philosophy. His ability finally made a name for him and eventually he became President of the United States.