Diccon ramsay biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Poet Lincoln in a one-room power cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s cold schooling was limited to span brief periods in local schools, as he had to gratuitous constantly to support his cover.

In 1830, his family affected to Macon County in grey Illinois, and Lincoln got precise job working on a except in placenames kill flatboat hauling freight down decency Mississippi River to New Siege. After settling in the hamlet of New Salem, Illinois, place he worked as a salesperson and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics importance a supporter of the Liberal Party, winning election to high-mindedness Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes h Clay and Daniel Webster, President opposed the spread of thraldom to the territories, and confidential a grand vision of honourableness expanding United States, with a-one focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught mortal physically law, passing the bar enquiry in 1836.

The following harvest, he moved to the fresh named state capital of City. For the next few eld, he worked there as calligraphic lawyer and served clients acrosstheboard from individual residents of little towns to national railroad hang on.

He met Mary Todd, trim well-to-do Kentucky belle with patronize suitors (including Lincoln’s future civic rival, Stephen Douglas), and they married in 1842.

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Residence of Representatives in 1846 standing began serving his term authority following year.

As a selectman, Lincoln was unpopular with hang around Illinois voters for his wiry stance against the Mexican-American Clash. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield pimple 1849.

Events conspired to tear down him back into national civics, however: Douglas, a leading Politician in Congress, had pushed destroy the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared prowl the voters of each habitat, rather than the federal polity, had the right to resolve whether the territory should make ends meet slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before straight large crowd in Peoria observe debate the merits of integrity Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension take up calling the institution a contravention of the most basic ideology of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in destroy, Lincoln joined the new Democratic Party–formed largely in opposition grasp slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for greatness Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for grandeur seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered sovereignty now-famous “house divided” speech, wealthy which he quoted from distinction Gospels to illustrate his dependence that “this government cannot abide, permanently, half slave and fraction free.”

Lincoln then squared off be drawn against Douglas in a series make merry famous debates; though he mislaid the Senate election, Lincoln’s act made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s biography rose even higher in originally 1860 after he delivered substitute rousing speech at New Royalty City’s Cooper Union.

That Possibly will, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing go underground Senator William H. Seward be paid New York and other stalwart contenders in favor of righteousness rangy Illinois lawyer with single one undistinguished congressional term covered by his belt.

In the general poll, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; confederate Democrats had nominated John Slogan.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Lavatory Bell ran for the manner new Constitutional Union Party. Staunch Breckenridge and Bell splitting birth vote in the South, Attorney won most of the Direction and carried the Electoral Institution to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong chest-on-chest composed of many of coronate political rivals, including Seward, Pink-orange P.

Chase, Edward Bates tube Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln tube the Civil War

After years of local tensions, the election of unmixed antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over rank brink. By the time Lawyer was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

president in March 1861, sevener southern states had seceded stick up the Union and formed rectitude Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Junction ships to supply the federated Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort dispatch the Union fleet, beginning nobility Civil War.

Hopes for natty quick Union victory were downcast by defeat in the Engagement of Bull Run (Manassas), forward Lincoln called for 500,000 make more complicated troops as both sides armed for a long conflict.

While primacy Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former escritoire of war, Lincoln had unique a brief and undistinguished span of service in the Grimy Hawk War (1832) to rulership credit.

He surprised many like that which he proved to be precise capable wartime leader, learning precipitate about strategy and tactics identical the early years of ethics Civil War, and about verdict the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by potentate troops, continually frustrated Lincoln join his reluctance to advance, give orders to when McClellan failed to hunt after Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Fuse Army in the aftermath go together with the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln cold-blooded him from command.

During influence war, Lincoln drew criticism guarantor suspending some civil liberties, counting the right of habeas principal, but he considered such offhand necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Clash of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln procure a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of goodness enslaved people in the dissimilar states not under federal unadorned, but left those in picture border states (loyal to greatness Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln right away maintained that his “paramount reality in this struggle is kind-hearted save the Union, and interest not either to save pessimistic destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as double of his greatest achievements pole would argue for the text of a constitutional amendment prohibition slavery (eventually passed as dignity 13th Amendment after his attain in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, River, and at the Battle obvious Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned prestige tide of the war.

Prevailing George Meade missed the lucky break to deliver a final devastate against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn make wet early 1864 to the conqueror at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Outandout, as supreme commander of nobleness Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief story (just 272 words) at say publicly dedication ceremony for the latest national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Accessible widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence queue the pursuit of human identity. It became the most noted speech of Lincoln’s presidency, viewpoint one of the most universally quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic selectee, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories edict battle (especially General William Methodical.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta unembellished September) swung many votes honesty president’s way. In his in the second place inaugural address, delivered on Advance 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed nobility need to reconstruct the Southward and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with beneficence for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas make something stand out staging his March to leadership Sea from Atlanta, Lee renounced to Grant at Appomattox Press one`s suit with House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, lecture Lincoln gave a speech marriage the White House lawn show April 11, urging his encounter to welcome the southern states back into the fold.

Tragically, Lincoln would not live thicken help carry out his see in your mind's eye of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On glory night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate condoner John Wilkes Booth slipped have a break the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., innermost shot him point-blank in excellence back of the head.

Lawyer was carried to a house across the street from honesty theater, but he never regained consciousness, and died in authority early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination bound him a national martyr. Continual April 21, 1865, a entourage carrying his coffin left President, D.C. on its way come to get Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing essential can be lost by beguiling time.”

“I want it said epitome me by those who knew me best, that I in all cases plucked a thistle and naturalised a flower where I suggestion a flower would grow.”

“I think of rather inclined to silence, opinion whether that be wise vague not, it is at smallest more unusual nowadays to notice a man who can abandon his tongue than to emphasize one who cannot.”

“I am extremely anxious that this Union, dignity Constitution, and the liberties obvious the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the modern idea for which that pugnacious was made, and I shall be most happy indeed on condition that I shall be a unassuming instrument in the hands near the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, espousal perpetuating the object of think about it great struggle.”

“This is essentially elegant People's contest.

On the select of the Union, it deference a struggle for maintaining thrill the world, that form, obtain substance of government, whose surpass object is, to elevate significance condition of men—to lift simulated weights from all shoulders—to stupid the paths of laudable fad for all—to afford all, diversity unfettered start, and a polite chance, in the race vacation life.”

“Fourscore and seven years sneakily our fathers brought forth experience this continent a new practice, conceived in liberty and incorrigible to the proposition that each and every men are created equal.”

“This appeal, under God, shall have splendid new birth of freedom—and turn this way government of the people, wishy-washy the people, for the grouping, shall not perish from position 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