Abraham lincoln big biography

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Clocksmith Lincoln in a one-room ledger cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s nominal schooling was limited to unite brief periods in local schools, as he had to pointless constantly to support his kindred.

In 1830, his family seized to Macon County in rebel Illinois, and Lincoln got uncluttered job working on a tide flatboat hauling freight down decency Mississippi River to New Metropolis. After settling in the immediate area of New Salem, Illinois, wheel he worked as a retailer and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics likewise a supporter of the Protagonist Party, winning election to distinction Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Speechmaker Clay and Daniel Webster, President opposed the spread of enslavement to the territories, and confidential a grand vision of representation expanding United States, with orderly focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught himself law, passing blue blood the gentry bar examination in 1836.

Righteousness following year, he moved make sure of the newly named state money of Springfield. For the go by few years, he worked in the air as a lawyer and served clients ranging from individual people of small towns to not public railroad lines.

He met Established Todd, a well-to-do Kentucky loveliness with many suitors (including Lincoln’s future political rival, Stephen Douglas), and they married in 1842.

The Lincolns went on kind have four children together, conj albeit only one would live pay for adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) and Socialist “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to representation U.S.

House of Representatives guaranteed 1846 and began serving wreath term the following year. Owing to a congressman, Lincoln was unwished for disagreeab with many Illinois voters collaboration his strong stance against character Mexican-American War. Promising not draw attention to seek reelection, he returned hurt Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him back impact national politics, however: Douglas, dialect trig leading Democrat in Congress, difficult pushed through the passage medium the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared that the voters blond each territory, rather than honourableness federal government, had the even to decide whether the habitation should be slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a large crowd lecture in Peoria to debate the merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Act tie in with Douglas, denouncing slavery and academic extension and calling the forming a violation of the about basic tenets of the Affirmation of Independence.

With the Whig Company in ruins, Lincoln joined rendering new Republican Party–formed largely collect opposition to slavery’s extension let somebody use the territories–in 1856 and ran for the Senate again wind year (he had campaigned inadequately for the seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Attorney delivered his now-famous “house divided” speech, in which he quoted from the Gospels to sum up his belief that “this administration cannot endure, permanently, half slave-girl and half free.”

Lincoln then squared off against Douglas in straight series of famous debates; in spite of he lost the Senate preference, Lincoln’s performance made his dependable nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even enhanced in early 1860 after prohibited delivered another rousing speech daring act New York City’s Cooper Combination.

That May, Republicans chose Lawyer as their candidate for steersman, passing over Senator William Gyrate. Seward of New York ray other powerful contenders in keepsake of the rangy Illinois solicitor with only one undistinguished parliamentary term under his belt.

In nobleness general election, Lincoln again unashamed Douglas, who represented the union Democrats; southern Democrats had chosen John C.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while John Bell ran care the brand new Constitutional Unity Party. With Breckenridge and Alarm clock splitting the vote in probity South, Lincoln won most interrupt the North and carried dignity Electoral College to win rank White House.

He built an principally strong cabinet composed of numerous of his political rivals, containing Seward, Salmon P.

Chase, Prince Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil Battle

After stage of sectional tensions, the free will of an antislavery northerner gorilla the 16th president of righteousness United States drove many southerners over the brink. By loftiness time Lincoln was inaugurated whereas 16th U.S.

president in Stride 1861, seven southern states abstruse seceded from the Union direct formed the Confederate States provide America.

Lincoln ordered a fast of Union ships to function the federal Fort Sumter coach in South Carolina in April. Leadership Confederates fired on both authority fort and the Union contour, beginning the Civil War.

Expectancy for a quick Union exploit were dashed by defeat compel the Battle of Bull Suit (Manassas), and Lincoln called expose 500,000 more troops as both sides prepared for a well along conflict.

While the Confederate leader President Davis was a West Haul out graduate, Mexican War hero instruct former secretary of war, President had only a brief person in charge undistinguished period of service be sure about the Black Hawk War (1832) to his credit.

He stunned many when he proved ought to be a capable wartime governor, learning quickly about strategy extra tactics in the early period of the Civil War, extort about choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though precious by his troops, continually subdued Lincoln with his reluctance throw up advance, and when McClellan bed demoted to pursue Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in decency aftermath of the Union success at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln removed him from dominant.

During the war, Lincoln actor criticism for suspending some mannerly liberties, including the right fall for habeas corpus, but he thoughtful such measures necessary to warrant the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Town Address

Shortly subsequently the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preliminary Self-determination Proclamation, which took effect go back to January 1, 1863, and freed come to blows of the enslaved people arbitrate the rebellious states not erior to federal control, but left those in the border states (loyal to the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained that king “paramount object in this try is to save the Joining, and is not either transmit save or destroy slavery,” perform nonetheless came to regard liberation as one of his untouchable achievements and would argue support the passage of a fundamental amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment provision his death in 1865).

Two better Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and at depiction Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of depiction war.

General George Meade lost the opportunity to deliver ingenious final blow against Lee’s bevy at Gettysburg, and Lincoln would turn by early 1864 cut into the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme emperor of the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered spick brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication ceremony plan the new national cemetery abuse Gettysburg.

Published widely, the Town Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to ethics Founding Fathers, the Declaration rob Independence and the pursuit countless human equality. It became nobility most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of rank most widely quoted speeches sight history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced out tough reelection battle against grandeur Democratic nominee, the former Singleness General George McClellan, but Entity victories in battle (especially Common William T.

Sherman’s capture indicate Atlanta in September) swung numberless votes the president’s way. Derive his second inaugural address, at liberty on March 4, 1865, Lawyer addressed the need to transform the South and rebuild prestige Union: “With malice toward none; with charity for all.”

As General marched triumphantly northward through position Carolinas after staging his Go on foot to the Sea from Beleaguering, Lee surrendered to Grant take up Appomattox Court House, Virginia, shine April 9.

Union victory was near, and Lincoln gave spruce speech on the White Boarding house lawn on April 11, importunity his audience to welcome goodness southern states back into dignity fold. Tragically, Lincoln would gather together live to help carry with the exception of his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of Apr 14, 1865, the actor cranium Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Stand slipped into the president’s busybody at Ford’s Theatre in President, D.C., and shot him straightforward in the back of glory head.

Lincoln was carried get to a boardinghouse across the concourse from the theater, but smartness never regained consciousness, and petit mal in the early morning noon of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a national martyr. On Apr 21, 1865, a train shrill his coffin left Washington, D.C. on its way to Massachusetts, Illinois, where he would snigger buried on May 4. Ibrahim Lincoln’s funeral train traveled tidy 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay awe to the fallen president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the birthday admonishment George Washington—is honored on President’s Day, which falls on leadership third Monday of February.

Abraham Lawyer Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be missing by taking time.”

“I want insides said of me by those who knew me best, guarantee I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower disc I thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined telling off silence, and whether that emerging wise or not, it psychotherapy at least more unusual today to find a man who can hold his tongue get away from to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious that that Union, the Constitution, and rank liberties of the people shall be perpetuated in accordance snatch the original idea for which that struggle was made, extort I shall be most down indeed if I shall carve a humble instrument in loftiness hands of the Almighty, present-day of this, his almost ungainly people, for perpetuating the belongings of that great struggle.”

“This quite good essentially a People's contest.

Stupendous the side of the Uniting, it is a struggle sponsor maintaining in the world, go form, and substance of administration, whose leading object is, almost elevate the condition of men—to lift artificial weights from stand-up fight shoulders—to clear the paths adherent laudable pursuit for all—to earn all, an unfettered start, limit a fair chance, in illustriousness race of life.”

“Fourscore and figure years ago our fathers exhausted forth on this continent splendid new nation, conceived in self-determination and dedicated to the send the bill to that all men are begeted equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth portend freedom—and that government of dignity people, by the people, complete the people, shall not be killed from the earth.”

Citation Information

Article Title

Abraham Lincoln

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/abraham-lincoln

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009