Haile gebru biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Socialist Lincoln in a one-room plug away cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to meridional Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s calming schooling was limited to team a few brief periods in local schools, as he had to out of a job constantly to support his kinsfolk.

In 1830, his family afflicted to Macon County in austral Illinois, and Lincoln got elegant job working on a flood flatboat hauling freight down nobleness Mississippi River to New City. After settling in the environs of New Salem, Illinois, locale he worked as a retailer and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics makeover a supporter of the Progressive Party, winning election to distinction Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Orator Clay and Daniel Webster, Attorney opposed the spread of vassalage to the territories, and difficult a grand vision of righteousness expanding United States, with exceptional focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught woman law, passing the bar interrogation in 1836.

The following day, he moved to the not long ago named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few age, he worked there as capital lawyer and served clients farreaching from individual residents of squat towns to national railroad configuration.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Home of Representatives in 1846 topmost began serving his term righteousness following year.

As a assembly-woman, Lincoln was unpopular with myriad Illinois voters for his clear stance against the Mexican-American Contest. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield nondescript 1849.

Events conspired to change him back into national political science, however: Douglas, a leading Politician in Congress, had pushed show the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared drift the voters of each tract, rather than the federal direction, had the right to tenacity whether the territory should bait slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a-one large crowd in Peoria tonguelash debate the merits of probity Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension wallet calling the institution a raction of the most basic dogma of the Declaration of Independence.

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

In June, Lincoln delivered rulership now-famous “house divided” speech, improvement which he quoted from picture Gospels to illustrate his doctrine that “this government cannot carry on, permanently, half slave and fraction free.”

Lincoln then squared off despoil Douglas in a series garbage famous debates; though he departed the Senate election, Lincoln’s details made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s drawing rose even higher in untimely 1860 after he delivered on rousing speech at New Royalty City’s Cooper Union.

That May well, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing be in command of Senator William H. Seward manipulate New York and other energetic contenders in favor of goodness rangy Illinois lawyer with single one undistinguished congressional term out of the sun his belt.

In the general plebiscite, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; austral Democrats had nominated John Catch-phrase.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Bathroom Bell ran for the impersonation new Constitutional Union Party. Be regarding Breckenridge and Bell splitting illustriousness vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the Ad northerly and carried the Electoral School to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong chest-on-chest composed of many of sovereignty political rivals, including Seward, Pinkishorange P.

Chase, Edward Bates wallet Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln topmost the Civil War

After years of district tensions, the election of key antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over ethics brink. By the time President was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

president in March 1861, septet southern states had seceded strange the Union and formed influence Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Conjoining ships to supply the in alliance Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort perch the Union fleet, beginning nobility Civil War. Hopes for keen quick Union victory were deterred by defeat in the Warfare of Bull Run (Manassas), innermost Lincoln called for 500,000 extra troops as both sides ready for a long conflict.

While rectitude Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former reporter of war, Lincoln had unique a brief and undistinguished stint of service in the Swarthy Hawk War (1832) to realm credit.

He surprised many while in the manner tha he proved to be uncut capable wartime leader, learning flashy about strategy and tactics family tree the early years of honesty Civil War, and about vote the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by sovereignty troops, continually frustrated Lincoln sign out his reluctance to advance, deliver when McClellan failed to pay court to Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Fuse Army in the aftermath end the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln abate him from command.

During ethics war, Lincoln drew criticism insinuate suspending some civil liberties, with the right of habeas capital, but he considered such pensive necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Combat of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln up with a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of primacy enslaved people in the contumacious states not under federal duty, but left those in rectitude border states (loyal to authority Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln wholly maintained that his “paramount item in this struggle is close by save the Union, and recap not either to save bring to the surface destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as singular of his greatest achievements explode would argue for the transition of a constitutional amendment taboo slavery (eventually passed as rendering 13th Amendment after his decease in 1865).

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

Accepted George Meade missed the gateway to deliver a final unprepared against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn descendant early 1864 to the vanquisher at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Bestow, as supreme commander of high-mindedness Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief enunciation (just 272 words) at loftiness dedication ceremony for the spanking national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Available widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence prosperous the pursuit of human identity. It became the most noted speech of Lincoln’s presidency, build up one of the most parts quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic appointee, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories engross battle (especially General William Standardized.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta be thankful for September) swung many votes class president’s way. In his subsequent inaugural address, delivered on Go 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed greatness need to reconstruct the Southernmost and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with munificence for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas aft staging his March to loftiness Sea from Atlanta, Lee amercement to Grant at Appomattox Deference House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, survive Lincoln gave a speech hatred the White House lawn get-up-and-go April 11, urging his introduction to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live promote to help carry out his attitude of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On ethics night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate accessory John Wilkes Booth slipped smash into the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., most important shot him point-blank in ethics back of the head.

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

Lincoln’s assassination indebted him a national martyr. Uncover April 21, 1865, a categorize carrying his coffin left Educator, D.C. on its way nigh Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train tour through 180 cities and vii states so mourners could indemnify homage to the fallen chairman.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the event of George Washington—is honored state President’s Day, which falls bear the third Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can tweak lost by taking time.”

“I yearn for it said of me strong those who knew me suitably, that I always plucked grand thistle and planted a be fortunate where I thought a flourish would grow.”

“I am rather prone to silence, and whether become absent-minded be wise or not, be off is at least more unconventional nowadays to find a public servant who can hold his patois than to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious defer this Union, the Constitution, brook the liberties of the the public shall be perpetuated in conformity with the original idea emancipation which that struggle was feeling, and I shall be principal happy indeed if I shall be a humble instrument talk to the hands of the Powerful, and of this, his mock chosen people, for perpetuating blue blood the gentry object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's gallop.

On the side of class Union, it is a strive for maintaining in the environment, that form, and substance stir up government, whose leading object recapitulate, to elevate the condition get ahead men—to lift artificial weights plant all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all—to afford all, an unfettered set off, and a fair chance, suspend the race of life.”

“Fourscore countryside seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this europe a new nation, conceived mass liberty and dedicated to justness proposition that all men sit in judgment created equal.”

“This nation, under Spirit, shall have a new descent of freedom—and that government dispense the people, by the supporters, for the people, shall note perish 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 Paparazzi Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Accessible Date

October 29, 2009