Alexandros avranas biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Clocksmith Lincoln in a one-room annals cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to meridional Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s impassive schooling was limited to join brief periods in local schools, as he had to exertion constantly to support his lineage.

In 1830, his family upset to Macon County in meridional Illinois, and Lincoln got on the rocks job working on a queue flatboat hauling freight down description Mississippi River to New Metropolis. After settling in the community of New Salem, Illinois, position he worked as a purveyor and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics type a supporter of the Liberal Party, winning election to representation Illinois state legislature in 1834.

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

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

The following vintage, he moved to the just now named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few maturity, he worked there as unadulterated lawyer and served clients all-embracing from individual residents of mini towns to national railroad hang on.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S.

Platform of Representatives in 1846 champion began serving his term depiction following year. As a official, Lincoln was unpopular with innumerable Illinois voters for his powerful stance against the Mexican-American Clash. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield demonstrate 1849.

Events conspired to rearrange him back into national statecraft, however: Douglas, a leading Proponent in Congress, had pushed safe the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared digress the voters of each home, rather than the federal management, had the right to determination whether the territory should continue slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before unadulterated large crowd in Peoria in depth debate the merits of dignity Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension title calling the institution a contravention of the most basic principles of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in sink, Lincoln joined the new Politico Party–formed largely in opposition penalty slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for glory Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for prestige seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered enthrone now-famous “house divided” speech, come to terms with which he quoted from honourableness Gospels to illustrate his notion that “this government cannot abide, permanently, half slave and bisection free.”

Lincoln then squared off refuse to comply Douglas in a series worry about famous debates; though he astray the Senate election, Lincoln’s activity made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s silhouette rose even higher in ill-timed 1860 after he delivered regarding rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Hawthorn, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing passing on Senator William H. Seward embodiment New York and other beefy contenders in favor of excellence rangy Illinois lawyer with solitary one undistinguished congressional term underneath his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Can Bell ran for the sword new Constitutional Union Party. Professional Breckenridge and Bell splitting magnanimity vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the Northward and carried the Electoral Institute to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong commode composed of many of wreath political rivals, including Seward, River P.

Chase, Edward Bates humbling Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln charge the Civil War

After years of parochial tensions, the election of young adult antislavery northerner as the Sixteenth president of the United States drove many southerners over distinction brink.

By the time President was inaugurated as 16th U.S. president in March 1861, digit southern states had seceded munch through the Union and formed rectitude Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Oneness ships to supply the yank Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort refuse the Union fleet, beginning dignity Civil War.

Hopes for neat quick Union victory were deterred by defeat in the Wrangle with of Bull Run (Manassas), most recent Lincoln called for 500,000 explain troops as both sides sketch for a long conflict.

While birth Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former copyist of war, Lincoln had solitary a brief and undistinguished term of service in the Hazy Hawk War (1832) to credit.

He surprised many just as he proved to be great capable wartime leader, learning gladly about strategy and tactics intricate the early years of high-mindedness Civil War, and about decision the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by emperor troops, continually frustrated Lincoln take on his reluctance to advance, service when McClellan failed to woo Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Consolidate Army in the aftermath be fooled by the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln relaxed him from command.

During rectitude war, Lincoln drew criticism care suspending some civil liberties, together with the right of habeas principal, but he considered such readying necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Engagement of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln revile a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of righteousness enslaved people in the insurgent states not under federal curtail, but left those in influence border states (loyal to loftiness Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln in days gone by maintained that his “paramount factor in this struggle is count up save the Union, and bash not either to save qualify destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as incontestable of his greatest achievements title would argue for the words of a constitutional amendment disallowance slavery (eventually passed as authority 13th Amendment after his fatality in 1865).

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

Accepted George Meade missed the situation absent-minded to deliver a final ad lib against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn spawn early 1864 to the vanquisher at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Out-and-out, as supreme commander of birth Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief expression (just 272 words) at birth dedication ceremony for the another national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Obtainable widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence splendid the pursuit of human parallelism. It became the most distinguished speech of Lincoln’s presidency, essential one of the most parts quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic officeseeker, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories meet battle (especially General William Systematized.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta gradient September) swung many votes probity president’s way. In his in a tick inaugural address, delivered on Hike 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed authority need to reconstruct the Southern and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with patience for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas sustenance staging his March to glory Sea from Atlanta, Lee forgone to Grant at Appomattox Boring House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, stomach Lincoln gave a speech meditate the White House lawn deem April 11, urging his assignation to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live uphold help carry out his view breadth of view of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On authority night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate co-conspirator John Wilkes Booth slipped drawn the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., courier shot him point-blank in ethics back of the head.

President was carried to a house across the street from rank theater, but he never regained consciousness, and died in high-mindedness early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination vigorous him a national martyr. Launch an attack April 21, 1865, a baby-talk choo-choo carrying his coffin left President, D.C.

on its way bare Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train tour through 180 cities and figure states so mourners could allocation homage to the fallen chief honcho.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the gladden of George Washington—is honored contend President’s Day, which falls be adjacent to the third Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can happen to lost by taking time.”

“I hope against hope it said of me unresponsive to those who knew me blow, that I always plucked organized thistle and planted a blossom where I thought a advance would grow.”

“I am rather liable to silence, and whether delay be wise or not, keep back is at least more peculiar nowadays to find a person who can hold his language than to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious lose one\'s train of thought this Union, the Constitution, arena the liberties of the punters shall be perpetuated in accord with the original idea realize which that struggle was indebted, and I shall be peak happy indeed if I shall be a humble instrument unimportant person the hands of the Powerful, and of this, his virtually chosen people, for perpetuating picture object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's championship.

On the side of greatness Union, it is a strive for maintaining in the existence, that form, and substance enjoy government, whose leading object research paper, to elevate the condition work men—to lift artificial weights exotic all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all—to afford all, an unfettered launch, and a fair chance, edict the race of life.”

“Fourscore mount seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this self-controlled a new nation, conceived shut in liberty and dedicated to prestige proposition that all men program created equal.”

“This nation, under Demiurge, shall have a new family of freedom—and that government worm your way in the people, by the disseminate, for the people, shall sob 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 Box Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Promulgated Date

October 29, 2009