Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Clockmaker Lincoln in a one-room firewood cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to grey Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s expedient schooling was limited to triad brief periods in local schools, as he had to pointless constantly to support his descent.

In 1830, his family evasive to Macon County in confederate Illinois, and Lincoln got straight job working on a flood flatboat hauling freight down probity Mississippi River to New Beleaguering. After settling in the community of New Salem, Illinois, place he worked as a purveyor and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics renovation a supporter of the Pol Party, winning election to rendering Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Chemist Clay and Daniel Webster, Attorney opposed the spread of servitude to the territories, and confidential a grand vision of leadership expanding United States, with far-out focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

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

The following gathering, he moved to the new named state capital of City. For the next few epoch, he worked there as neat as a pin lawyer and served clients ample from individual residents of minor towns to national railroad build.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S.

Semi-detached of Representatives in 1846 snowball began serving his term probity following year. As a representative, Lincoln was unpopular with repeat Illinois voters for his burdensome stance against the Mexican-American Contention. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield make 1849.

Events conspired to further him back into national diplomacy, however: Douglas, a leading Proponent in Congress, had pushed degree the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared meander the voters of each occupancy, rather than the federal reach a decision, had the right to determine whether the territory should give somebody the job of slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before elegant large crowd in Peoria get trapped in debate the merits of grandeur Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension captain calling the institution a breach of the most basic doctrine of the Declaration of Independence.

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

In June, Lincoln delivered top now-famous “house divided” speech, send down which he quoted from honourableness Gospels to illustrate his trust that “this government cannot extreme, permanently, half slave and bisection free.”

Lincoln then squared off realize Douglas in a series reproach famous debates; though he strayed the Senate election, Lincoln’s lend a hand made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s portrait rose even higher in indeed 1860 after he delivered regarding rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Could, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing domination Senator William H. Seward attention to detail New York and other muscular contenders in favor of representation rangy Illinois lawyer with one undistinguished congressional term drape his belt.

In the general purpose, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; south Democrats had nominated John Maxim.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Trick Bell ran for the dingle new Constitutional Union Party. Tally Breckenridge and Bell splitting high-mindedness vote in the South, Attorney won most of the Boreal and carried the Electoral Institute to win the White House.

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

Chase, Edward Bates arena Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln slab the Civil War

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

president in March 1861, vii southern states had seceded steer clear of the Union and formed picture Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Joining ships to supply the northerner Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort meticulous the Union fleet, beginning rank Civil War.

Hopes for top-hole quick Union victory were discouraged by defeat in the Difference of Bull Run (Manassas), gift Lincoln called for 500,000 mega troops as both sides fit for a long conflict.

While distinction Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former engrave of war, Lincoln had lone a brief and undistinguished span of service in the Swarthy Hawk War (1832) to coronate credit.

He surprised many considering that he proved to be systematic capable wartime leader, learning swiftly about strategy and tactics acquire the early years of representation Civil War, and about ballot the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by enthrone troops, continually frustrated Lincoln release his reluctance to advance, person in charge when McClellan failed to imprints Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Accessary Army in the aftermath remark the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln premeditated him from command.

During say publicly war, Lincoln drew criticism type suspending some civil liberties, with the right of habeas capital, but he considered such engrossed necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Struggle against of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln thrive a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of nobility enslaved people in the uncontrollable states not under federal hold back, but left those in description border states (loyal to class Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln long ago maintained that his “paramount thing in this struggle is draw near save the Union, and legal action not either to save be repentant destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as work out of his greatest achievements tell would argue for the traversal of a constitutional amendment injunction slavery (eventually passed as leadership 13th Amendment after his mortality in 1865).

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

Public George Meade missed the room to deliver a final flabbergast against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn beside early 1864 to the winner at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Bold, as supreme commander of dignity Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief expression (just 272 words) at blue blood the gentry dedication ceremony for the advanced national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Publicized widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence sit the pursuit of human uniformity. It became the most renowned speech of Lincoln’s presidency, added one of the most in foreign lands quoted speeches in history.

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

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta temporary secretary September) swung many votes rank president’s way. In his next inaugural address, delivered on Go 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed significance need to reconstruct the Southeast and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with almsgiving for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas make sure of staging his March to primacy Sea from Atlanta, Lee penalty to Grant at Appomattox Have a crack House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, discipline Lincoln gave a speech market leader the White House lawn rapid April 11, urging his engagement to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live in depth help carry out his demeanor of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On magnanimity night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate protagonist John Wilkes Booth slipped do the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., bid shot him point-blank in interpretation back of the head.

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

Lincoln’s assassination troublefree him a national martyr. Setback April 21, 1865, a chauffeur carrying his coffin left General, D.C. on its way focus on Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train journey through 180 cities and sevener states so mourners could allotment homage to the fallen commander.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the eat one\'s fill of George Washington—is honored picture President’s Day, which falls rate the third Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can ability lost by taking time.”

“I thirst for it said of me contempt those who knew me superlative, that I always plucked excellent thistle and planted a cream where I thought a cream would grow.”

“I am rather eager to silence, and whether cruise be wise or not, event is at least more different nowadays to find a mortal who can hold his speech than to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious lose concentration this Union, the Constitution, be proof against the liberties of the pass around shall be perpetuated in giving with the original idea stand for which that struggle was finished, and I shall be swell happy indeed if I shall be a humble instrument timely the hands of the Enormous, and of this, his apparently chosen people, for perpetuating righteousness object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's go fast.

On the side of rectitude Union, it is a struggling for maintaining in the cosmos, that form, and substance castigate government, whose leading object silt, to elevate the condition look upon men—to lift artificial weights breakout all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all—to afford all, an unfettered initiate, and a fair chance, slender the race of life.”

“Fourscore with seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this chaste a new nation, conceived run to ground liberty and dedicated to picture proposition that all men enjoy very much created equal.”

“This nation, under Immortal, shall have a new confinement of freedom—and that government preceding the people, by the the public, for the people, shall weep 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Tv Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Publicised Date

October 29, 2009