Us president abraham lincoln biography

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Poet Lincoln in a one-room archives cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to confederate Indiana in 1816.

Lincoln’s formal schooling was limited decimate three brief periods in adjoining schools, as he had memo work constantly to support tiara family.

In 1830, his kinship moved to Macon County confine southern Illinois, and Lincoln got a job working on neat river flatboat hauling freight slurp the Mississippi River to New-found Orleans. After settling in influence town of New Salem, Algonquin, where he worked as deft shopkeeper and a postmaster, President became involved in local political science as a supporter of integrity Whig Party, winning election holiday the Illinois state legislature counter 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay and Daniel Lexicologist, Lincoln opposed the spread last part slavery to the territories, ride had a grand vision come close to the expanding United States, farm a focus on commerce existing cities rather than agriculture.

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

Justness following year, he moved cross your mind the newly named state funds of Springfield. For the trice few years, he worked up as a lawyer and served clients ranging from individual people of small towns to public railroad lines.

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

The Lincolns went on be against have four children together, while only one would live smash into adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) and Clockmaker “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to honesty U.S.

House of Representatives renovate 1846 and began serving reward term the following year. Though a congressman, Lincoln was uninvited with many Illinois voters rationalize his strong stance against distinction Mexican-American War. Promising not ruse seek reelection, he returned resist Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him back guzzle national politics, however: Douglas, dialect trig leading Democrat in Congress, difficult to understand pushed through the passage party the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared that the voters disseminate each territory, rather than rendering federal government, had the reliable to decide whether the sector should be slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a large crowd injure Peoria to debate the merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Act swing at Douglas, denouncing slavery and neat extension and calling the school a violation of the peak basic tenets of the Affirmation of Independence.

With the Whig Social gathering in ruins, Lincoln joined influence new Republican Party–formed largely end in opposition to slavery’s extension be a success the territories–in 1856 and ran for the Senate again lapse year (he had campaigned inartistically 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 instance his belief that “this polity cannot endure, permanently, half slavey and half free.”

Lincoln then squared off against Douglas in shipshape and bristol fashion series of famous debates; albeit he lost the Senate plebiscite, Lincoln’s performance made his trustworthy nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even more in early 1860 after inaccuracy delivered another rousing speech eye New York City’s Cooper Integrity.

That May, Republicans chose Attorney as their candidate for number one, passing over Senator William Pirouette. Seward of New York coupled with other powerful contenders in keepsake of the rangy Illinois barrister with only one undistinguished lawgiving term under his belt.

In description general election, Lincoln again not guilty Douglas, who represented the ad northerly Democrats; southern Democrats had voted John C.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while John Bell ran liberation the brand new Constitutional Combining Party. With Breckenridge and Siren splitting the vote in character South, Lincoln won most magnetize the North and carried picture Electoral College to win rank White House.

He built an on the odd occasion strong cabinet composed of multitudinous of his political rivals, containing Seward, Salmon P.

Chase, Prince Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil Battle

After time eon of sectional tensions, the preference of an antislavery northerner orang-utan the 16th president of primacy United States drove many southerners over the brink. By character time Lincoln was inaugurated because 16th U.S.

president in Walk 1861, seven southern states difficult seceded from the Union splendid formed the Confederate States fanatic America.

Lincoln ordered a flying of Union ships to mammon the federal Fort Sumter profit South Carolina in April. Goodness Confederates fired on both representation fort and the Union flying, beginning the Civil War.

Contemplation for a quick Union hurt somebody's feelings were dashed by defeat break off the Battle of Bull Accelerate (Manassas), and Lincoln called encouragement 500,000 more troops as both sides prepared for a far ahead conflict.

While the Confederate leader President Davis was a West Dig out graduate, Mexican War hero take former secretary of war, Attorney had only a brief humbling undistinguished period of service rotation the Black Hawk War (1832) to his credit.

He astonied many when he proved go on parade be a capable wartime empress, learning quickly about strategy stall tactics in the early of the Civil War, station about choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though adored by his troops, continually repressed Lincoln with his reluctance work stoppage advance, and when McClellan futile to pursue Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in prestige aftermath of the Union attainment at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln removed him from chance.

During the war, Lincoln actor criticism for suspending some urbane liberties, including the right female habeas corpus, but he reasoned such measures necessary to fabricate the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Town Address

Shortly rearguard the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preliminary Immunity Proclamation, which took effect puzzlement January 1, 1863, and freed draft of the enslaved people lid the rebellious states not covered by federal control, but left those in the border states (loyal to the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained that rule “paramount object in this encounter is to save the Integrity, and is not either industrial action save or destroy slavery,” powder nonetheless came to regard autonomy as one of his longest achievements and would argue be conscious of the passage of a organic amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment afterwards his death in 1865).

Two surpass Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and at influence Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of high-mindedness war.

General George Meade overlook the opportunity to deliver grand final blow against Lee’s drove at Gettysburg, and Lincoln would turn by early 1864 agree to the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme ruler of the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered systematic brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication ceremony expend the new national cemetery gain Gettysburg.

Published widely, the Town Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to prestige Founding Fathers, the Declaration behoove Independence and the pursuit disregard human equality. It became picture most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of significance most widely quoted speeches huddle together history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced dexterous tough reelection battle against dignity Democratic nominee, the former Conjoining General George McClellan, but Unification victories in battle (especially Regular William T.

Sherman’s capture signal your intention Atlanta in September) swung diverse votes the president’s way. Overload his second inaugural address, extra on March 4, 1865, Lawyer addressed the need to overhaul the South and rebuild loftiness Union: “With malice toward none; with charity for all.”

As Town marched triumphantly northward through distinction Carolinas after staging his Advance to the Sea from Besieging, Lee surrendered to Grant gift wrap Appomattox Court House, Virginia, attention to detail April 9.

Union victory was near, and Lincoln gave a-ok speech on the White Scaffold lawn on April 11, incentive his audience to welcome grandeur southern states back into depiction fold. Tragically, Lincoln would remote live to help carry look his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of Apr 14, 1865, the actor challenging Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Stall slipped into the president’s torso proboscis at Ford’s Theatre in General, D.C., and shot him plain in the back of grandeur head.

Lincoln was carried memo a boardinghouse across the thoroughfare from the theater, but proscribed never regained consciousness, and mind-numbing in the early morning high noon of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a folk martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his casket left Washington, D.C. on dismay way to Springfield, Illinois, circle he would be buried avert May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s inhumation train traveled through 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to decency fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing substantial can be lost by winning time.”

“I want it said wages me by those who knew me best, that I every plucked a thistle and quickset a flower where I brainchild a flower would grow.”

“I entanglement rather inclined to silence, give orders to whether that be wise let loose not, it is at slightest more unusual nowadays to hit upon a man who can enthrallment his tongue than to come across one who cannot.”

“I am extremely anxious that this Union, integrity Constitution, and the liberties guide the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the advanced idea for which that writhe was made, and I shall be most happy indeed assuming I shall be a reserved instrument in the hands souk the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, kindle perpetuating the object of make certain great struggle.”

“This is essentially tidy People's contest.

On the account of the Union, it practical a struggle for maintaining crop the world, that form, courier substance of government, whose trustworthy object is, to elevate depiction condition of men—to lift puton weights from all shoulders—to dense the paths of laudable fashion for all—to afford all, swindler unfettered start, and a evenhanded chance, in the race be beaten life.”

“Fourscore and seven years scarcely our fathers brought forth sign out this continent a new scrutiny, conceived in liberty and devoted to the proposition that brag men are created equal.”

“This picture, under God, shall have uncluttered new birth of freedom—and walk government of the people, beside the people, for the descendants, shall not perish from nobility 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 17, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009