Wednesday marked the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and our sister site, Mental Floss, has devoted their weekly list show video to the occasion.
In the video, author John Green presents 20 facts about Abraham Lincoln and his family that you probably haven't heard before. For instance, Lincoln hated being called "Abe," but his political managers insisted on the nickname to make him seem more "approachable." Green also notes that the nickname is an easy way to spot a counterfeit — Lincoln always signed documents "Abraham Lincoln" or "A. Lincoln," so if you see a signature from "Abe Lincoln," it's probably fake.
Another lesser-known fact is that Lincoln's secretaries apparently referred to his wife, Mary Todd, as "the hellcat," while they called Lincoln "the tycoon." Check out all of the Lincoln tidbits in the video below. —Meghan DeMaria
The Week
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