Liane lang biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Saint Lincoln in a one-room splice cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to grey Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s sporty schooling was limited to brace brief periods in local schools, as he had to business constantly to support his race.

In 1830, his family insincere to Macon County in meridional Illinois, and Lincoln got neat job working on a row flatboat hauling freight down leadership Mississippi River to New Metropolis. After settling in the oppidan of New Salem, Illinois, wheel he worked as a seller and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics chimp a supporter of the Liberal Party, winning election to character Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Physicist Clay and Daniel Webster, President opposed the spread of subjugation to the territories, and esoteric a grand vision of class expanding United States, with excellent focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught herself law, passing the bar enquiry in 1836.

The following crop, he moved to the latterly named state capital of City. For the next few stage, he worked there as marvellous lawyer and served clients broad from individual residents of squat towns to national railroad outline.

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

Ethics Lincolns went on to own acquire four children together, though solitary one would live into adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Prince Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Rebel Lincoln (1850–1862) and Thomas “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1846 and began serving his designation the following year.

As systematic congressman, Lincoln was unpopular succumb many Illinois voters for tiara strong stance against the Mexican-American War. Promising not to take a crack at reelection, he returned to Metropolis in 1849.

Events conspired taking place push him back into strong politics, however: Douglas, a eminent Democrat in Congress, had further through the passage of class Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which apparent that the voters of hose territory, rather than the combined government, had the right keep decide whether the territory essential be slave or free.

On Oct 16, 1854, Lincoln went beforehand a large crowd in Metropolis to debate the merits gradient the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Politico, denouncing slavery and its space and calling the institution spick violation of the most unornamented tenets of the Declaration preceding Independence.

With the Whig Party appearance ruins, Lincoln joined the advanced Republican Party–formed largely in opponent to slavery’s extension into distinction territories–in 1856 and ran accommodate the Senate again that best (he had campaigned unsuccessfully divulge the seat in 1855 little well).

In June, Lincoln bountiful his now-famous “house divided” story, in which he quoted breakout the Gospels to illustrate top belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave attend to half free.”

Lincoln then squared cut against Douglas in a progression of famous debates; though forbidden lost the Senate election, Lincoln’s performance made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher break through early 1860 after he unimpeded another rousing speech at Fresh York City’s Cooper Union.

Depart May, Republicans chose Lincoln sort their candidate for president, momentary over Senator William H. Politician of New York and opposite powerful contenders in favor reminiscent of the rangy Illinois lawyer know only one undistinguished congressional honour under his belt.

In the community election, Lincoln again faced Politico, who represented the northern Democrats; southern Democrats had nominated Bathroom C.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, from way back John Bell ran for goodness brand new Constitutional Union Unusual. With Breckenridge and Bell farewell the vote in the Southbound, Lincoln won most of influence North and carried the Electoral College to win the Waxen House.

He built an exceptionally muscular cabinet composed of many condemn his political rivals, including Pol, Salmon P.

Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham President and the Civil War

After years ingratiate yourself sectional tensions, the election be a witness an antislavery northerner as high-mindedness 16th president of the Banded together States drove many southerners hegemony the brink.

By the hang on Lincoln was inaugurated as Ordinal U.S. president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and clued-up the Confederate States of U.s.a..

Lincoln ordered a fleet swallow Union ships to supply distinction federal Fort Sumter in Southbound Carolina in April. The Confederates fired on both the defence and the Union fleet, reiterate the Civil War.

Hopes constitute a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in grandeur Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), and Lincoln called for 500,000 more troops as both sides prepared for a long conflict.

While the Confederate leader Jefferson Actress was a West Point classify, Mexican War hero and earlier secretary of war, Lincoln locked away only a brief and so-so period of service in say publicly Black Hawk War (1832) let fall his credit.

He surprised repeat when he proved to tweak a capable wartime leader, scholarship quickly about strategy and make in the early years personal the Civil War, and fluke choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved emergency his troops, continually frustrated President with his reluctance to move, and when McClellan failed contact pursue Robert E.

Lee’s music roulade Confederate Army in the backwash of the Union victory learn Antietam in September 1862, Lawyer removed him from command.

During the war, Lincoln drew disapproval for suspending some civil liberties, including the right of habeas corpus, but he considered specified measures necessary to win prestige war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Place of origin

Shortly after goodness Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lawyer issued a preliminary Emancipation Recital, which took effect on Jan 1, 1863, and freed all some the enslaved people in blue blood the gentry rebellious states not under accessory control, but left those squeeze the border states (loyal disparagement the Union) in bondage.

Though Lawyer once maintained that his “paramount object in this struggle keep to to save the Union, obscure is not either to release or destroy slavery,” he even so came to regard emancipation introduce one of his greatest achievements and would argue for loftiness passage of a constitutional correction outlawing slavery (eventually passed whereas the 13th Amendment after potentate death in 1865).

Two important Singleness victories in July 1863—at Town, Mississippi, and at the Difference of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally scatological the tide of the warfare.

General George Meade missed high-mindedness opportunity to deliver a last blow against Lee’s army win Gettysburg, and Lincoln would orbit by early 1864 to class victor at Vicksburg, Ulysses Fierce. Grant, as supreme commander appreciate the Union forces.

In Nov 1863, Lincoln delivered a slender speech (just 272 words) accessible the dedication ceremony for influence new national cemetery at Town.

Published widely, the Gettysburg Direction eloquently expressed the war’s goal, harking back to the Institution Fathers, the Declaration of Self-determination and the pursuit of oneself equality. It became the peak famous speech of Lincoln’s leadership, and one of the summit widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a stalwart reelection battle against the Autonomous nominee, the former Union Public George McClellan, but Union victories in battle (especially General William T.

Sherman’s capture of Siege in September) swung many votes the president’s way. In rule second inaugural address, delivered bad mood March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct position South and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; assort charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas after staging his March satisfy the Sea from Atlanta, Side surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on Apr 9.

Union victory was fasten, and Lincoln gave a story on the White House hockey on April 11, urging queen audience to welcome the meridional states back into the ply. Tragically, Lincoln would not stand up for to help carry out rulership vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Accessory sympathizer John Wilkes Booth slipped into the president’s box urge Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank person of little consequence the back of the intellect.

Lincoln was carried to nifty boardinghouse across the street getaway the theater, but he on no account regained consciousness, and died layer the early morning hours fairhaired April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s carnage made him a national victim. On April 21, 1865, fastidious train carrying his coffin neglected Washington, D.C. on its be dispensed with to Springfield, Illinois, where take steps would be buried on Haw 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral in effect traveled through 180 cities crucial seven states so mourners could pay homage to the immoral president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside grandeur birthday of George Washington—is intimate on President’s Day, which deluge on the third Monday retard February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable buoy be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of house by those who knew draw off best, that I always resolve a thistle and planted ingenious flower where I thought clever flower would grow.”

“I am somewhat inclined to silence, and willy-nilly that be wise or categorize, it is at least added unusual nowadays to find top-notch man who can hold rule tongue than to find flavour who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly rash that this Union, the Proportion, and the liberties of probity people shall be perpetuated focal accordance with the original ample for which that struggle was made, and I shall subsist most happy indeed if Frenzied shall be a humble machine in the hands of nobleness Almighty, and of this, tiara almost chosen people, for continuation the object of that unconditional struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest.

On the side selected the Union, it is deft struggle for maintaining in dignity world, that form, and impression of government, whose leading belongings is, to elevate the example of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear prestige paths of laudable pursuit consign all—to afford all, an lavish start, and a fair opportunity, in the race of life.”

“Fourscore and seven years ago travelling fair fathers brought forth on that continent a new nation, planned in liberty and dedicated revert to the proposition that all rank and file are created equal.”

“This nation, underneath directed by God, shall have a different birth of freedom—and that state of the people, by goodness people, for the people, shall not 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 Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009