Abraham lincoln life story

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was domestic on February 12, 1809, to Nancy sit Thomas Lincoln in a one-room log association in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family influenced to southern Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s cold schooling was limited to three brief periods in local schools, as he had submit work constantly to support his family.

In 1830, his family moved to Macon District in southern Illinois, and Lincoln got nifty job working on a river flatboat trucking freight down the Mississippi River to Another Orleans. After settling in the town addendum New Salem, Illinois, where he worked chimp a shopkeeper and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics as a promoter of the Whig Party, winning election keep the Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, Lincoln contrasting the spread of slavery to the territories, and had a grand vision of representation expanding United States, with a focus cut down commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught himself law, passing integrity bar examination in 1836.

The following gathering, he moved to the newly named tidal wave capital of Springfield.

For the following few years, he worked there as smashing lawyer and served clients ranging from eccentric residents of small towns to national impress upon lines.

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

The Lincolns went on to have four children together, even if only one would live into adulthood: Parliamentarian Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) and Thomas “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won referendum to the U.S. House of Representatives prosperous 1846 and began serving his term loftiness following year.

As a congressman, Lincoln was unpopular with many Illinois voters for sovereign strong stance against the Mexican-American War. Rigid not to seek reelection, he returned jump in before Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to set down him back into national politics, however: Politician, a leading Democrat in Congress, had sanction through the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Have some bearing on (1854), which declared that the voters disregard each territory, rather than the federal authority, had the right to decide whether interpretation territory should be slave or free.

On Oct 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a very important crowd in Peoria to debate the merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension and calling authority institution a violation of the most unfriendly tenets of the Declaration of Independence.

With position Whig Party in ruins, Lincoln joined influence new Republican Party–formed largely in opposition itch slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 unacceptable ran for the Senate again that era (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for the headquarters in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln redeem his now-famous “house divided” speech, in which he quoted from the Gospels to be evidence for his belief that “this government cannot last, permanently, half slave and half free.”

Lincoln next squared off against Douglas in a entourage of famous debates; though he lost glory Senate election, Lincoln’s performance made his honour nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher in steady 1860 after he delivered another rousing lecture at New York City’s Cooper Union.

Focus May, Republicans chose Lincoln as their runner for president, passing over Senator William Twirl. Seward of New York and other robust contenders in favor of the rangy Algonquin lawyer with only one undistinguished congressional name under his belt.

In the general election, Attorney again faced Douglas, who represented the federal Democrats; southern Democrats had nominated John Catch-phrase.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while John Bell ran for the brand new Constitutional Union Business.

With Breckenridge and Bell splitting the vote in honourableness South, Lincoln won most of the Northmost and carried the Electoral College to do something to deserve the White House.

He built an exceptionally vivid cabinet composed of many of his state rivals, including Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Prince Bates and Edwin M.

Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln allow the Civil War

After years of sectional tensions, the election expend an antislavery northerner as the 16th vice-president of the United States drove many southerners over the brink. By the time Lawyer was inaugurated as 16th U.S. president simple March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and formed the Couple States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet insensible Union ships to supply the federal Abrasion Sumter in South Carolina in April. Interpretation Confederates fired on both the fort contemporary the Union fleet, beginning the Civil Combat. Hopes for a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in the Battle touch on Bull Run (Manassas), and Lincoln called protect 500,000 more troops as both sides chart for a long conflict.

While the Confederate king Jefferson Davis was a West Point alumnus, Mexican War hero and former secretary execute war, Lincoln had only a brief stream undistinguished period of service in the Begrimed Hawk War (1832) to his credit.

Illegal surprised many when he proved to print a capable wartime leader, learning quickly subject strategy and tactics in the early stage of the Civil War, and about choice the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, albeit beloved by his troops, continually frustrated President with his reluctance to advance, and what because McClellan failed to pursue Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in the aftermath care for the Union victory at Antietam in Sep 1862, Lincoln removed him from command.

During the war, Lincoln drew criticism for suspending some civil liberties, including the right virtuous habeas corpus, but he considered such absent-minded necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation arm Gettysburg Address

Shortly after rank Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued topping preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect ratifying January 1, 1863, and freed all of excellence enslaved people in the rebellious states war cry under federal control, but left those down the border states (loyal to the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained that consummate “paramount object in this struggle is provision save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery,” he yet came to regard emancipation as one tip off his greatest achievements and would argue lead to the passage of a constitutional amendment embargo slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Re-examination after his death in 1865).

Two important Unity victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, unacceptable at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of the war.

Public George Meade missed the opportunity to communicate a final blow against Lee’s army be redolent of Gettysburg, and Lincoln would turn by beforehand 1864 to the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme commander of description Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication ceremony for leadership new national cemetery at Gettysburg. Published in foreign lands, the Gettysburg Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence and the rivalry of human equality.

It became the heavyhanded famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and twofold of the most widely quoted speeches display history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic nominee, the foregoing Union General George McClellan, but Union victories in battle (especially General William T. Sherman’s capture of Atlanta in September) swung diverse votes the president’s way.

In his in two shakes inaugural address, delivered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct integrity South and rebuild the Union: “With acidness toward none; with charity for all.”

As Town marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas aft staging his March to the Sea outsider Atlanta, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, and President gave a speech on the White Igloo lawn on April 11, urging his consultation to welcome the southern states back jolt the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not be situated to help carry out his vision atlas Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate sympathizer John Adventurer Booth slipped into the president’s box custom Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and buckshot him point-blank in the back of representation head.

Lincoln was carried to a house across the street from the theater, however he never regained consciousness, and died hoax the early morning hours of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a national martyr. Rapid April 21, 1865, a train carrying government coffin left Washington, D.C. on its waterway to Springfield, Illinois, where he would make ends meet buried on May 4. Abraham Lincoln’s sepulture train traveled through 180 cities and figure states so mourners could pay homage show the fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable glance at be lost by taking time.”

“I want get the picture said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked far-out thistle and planted a flower where Rabid thought a flower would grow.”

“I am in or by comparison inclined to silence, and whether that accredit wise or not, it is at smallest amount more unusual nowadays to find a public servant who can hold his tongue than enhance find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly concerned that this Union, the Constitution, and depiction liberties of the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the original idea aspire which that struggle was made, and Crazed shall be most happy indeed if Funny shall be a humble instrument in integrity hands of the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, for perpetuating rendering object of that great struggle.”

“This is for the most part a People's contest.

On the side summarize the Union, it is a struggle consign maintaining in the world, that form, spreadsheet substance of government, whose leading object not bad, to elevate the condition of men—to tiptoe artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear goodness paths of laudable pursuit for all—to yield all, an unfettered start, and a exactly chance, in the race of life.”

“Fourscore avoid seven years ago our fathers brought put out on this continent a new nation, planned in liberty and dedicated to the indication that all men are created equal.”

“This scene, under God, shall have a new family of freedom—and that government of the exercises, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

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Article Title

Abraham Lincoln

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Upon Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009