The memorial is encircled by 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the Union's 36 states at the time of Lincoln's death. These columns stand 44 feet tall and have a seven-foot-five-inch base diameter. The overall height of the monument, including the 24-foot-high statue of Lincoln at the top, is 92 feet. His right hand is raised as if in blessing, while his left arm rests on a book held closed by his leg. A halo surrounds his head. Lincoln was born in 1809 in a small cabin near Kentucky. He grew up helping to work the land and learn the trade of carpenter before becoming a lawyer. In 1846, he was elected president of the Illinois Senate. Two years later, he was chosen by the Congress to become our 16th president. He died in 1865 at age 42 after serving only four years. During that time, he managed to end the Civil War, pass laws that freed the slaves, and preserve the union. Lincoln has been called the "Great Emancipator" because of his efforts to abolish slavery. He met with leaders from both sides of the war to try to find a way toward peace. However, he failed to get them to agree to abolish slavery, so he decided to go ahead with his plan to free the slaves anyway.