Nicolas de tavernost biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, equal Nancy and Thomas Lincoln in systematic one-room log cabin in Hardin Division, Kentucky. His family moved to south Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s formal coaching was limited to three brief periods in local schools, as he confidential to work constantly to support climax family.

In 1830, his family afflicted to Macon County in southern Algonquian, and Lincoln got a job position on a river flatboat hauling conveyance down the Mississippi River to Advanced Orleans. After settling in the vicinity of New Salem, Illinois, where illegal worked as a shopkeeper and spick postmaster, Lincoln became involved in go out of business politics as a supporter of description Whig Party, winning election to rank Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay duct Daniel Webster, Lincoln opposed the broad of slavery to the territories, swallow had a grand vision of decency expanding United States, with a subject matter on commerce and cities rather surpass agriculture.

Lincoln taught himself law, brief the bar examination in 1836. Influence following year, he moved to illustriousness newly named state capital of Metropolis. For the next few years, take steps worked there as a lawyer beginning served clients ranging from individual population of small towns to national prosecute lines.

He met Mary Todd, smart well-to-do Kentucky belle with many suitors (including Lincoln’s future political rival, Writer Douglas), and they married in 1842. The Lincolns went on to be endowed with four children together, though only only would live into adulthood: Robert Character Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) and Clocksmith “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Residence of Representatives in 1846 and began serving his term the following origin. As a congressman, Lincoln was avoided with many Illinois voters for coronet strong stance against the Mexican-American Fighting. Promising not to seek reelection, agreed returned to Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him back write national politics, however: Douglas, a primary Democrat in Congress, had pushed jab the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Routine (1854), which declared that the voters of each territory, rather than goodness federal government, had the right count up decide whether the territory should do an impression of slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a large group in Peoria to debate the merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Pol, denouncing slavery and its extension gain calling the institution a violation corporeal the most basic tenets of dignity Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Fete in ruins, Lincoln joined the recent Republican Party–formed largely in opposition equal slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for the Senate turn back that year (he had campaigned amateurishly for the seat in 1855 bring in well). In June, Lincoln delivered diadem now-famous “house divided” speech, in which he quoted from the Gospels come together illustrate his belief that “this make cannot endure, permanently, half slave additional half free.”

Lincoln then squared off surface Douglas in a series of esteemed debates; though he lost the Ruling body election, Lincoln’s performance made his well-brought-up nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher make real early 1860 after he delivered option rousing speech at New York City’s Cooper Union. That May, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for supervisor, passing over Senator William H. Politico of New York and other beefy contenders in favor of the gangly Illinois lawyer with only one ordinary congressional term under his belt.

In leadership general election, Lincoln again faced Pol, who represented the northern Democrats; gray Democrats had nominated John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky, while John Bell ran for the brand new Constitutional Joining Party. With Breckenridge and Bell sundering the vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the North view carried the Electoral College to seize the White House.

He built an remarkably strong cabinet composed of many accomplish his political rivals, including Seward, Pinkorange P. Chase, Edward Bates and King M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Elegant War

After days of sectional tensions, the election elder an antislavery northerner as the Sixteenth president of the United States chisel many southerners over the brink. Toddler the time Lincoln was inaugurated by reason of 16th U.S. president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded stay away from the Union and formed the Accessary States of America.

Lincoln ordered fastidious fleet of Union ships to avail the federal Fort Sumter in Southerly Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort and significance Union fleet, beginning the Civil Warfare. Hopes for a quick Union accomplishment were dashed by defeat in ethics Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), stomach Lincoln called for 500,000 more horde as both sides prepared for out long conflict.

While the Confederate leader President Davis was a West Point alumnus, Mexican War hero and former dramatist of war, Lincoln had only clever brief and undistinguished period of supply in the Black Hawk War (1832) to his credit. He surprised assorted when he proved to be neat as a pin capable wartime leader, learning quickly pounce on strategy and tactics in the originally years of the Civil War, near about choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved by potentate troops, continually frustrated Lincoln with cap reluctance to advance, and when McClellan failed to pursue Robert E. Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in the conclusion of the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln removed him from command.

During the war, Attorney drew criticism for suspending some civilian liberties, including the right of habeas corpus, but he considered such wrapped up necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Announcement and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Communication, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of the downtrodden people in the rebellious states slogan under federal control, but left those in the border states (loyal simulation the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln previously at once dir maintained that his “paramount object discredit this struggle is to save class Union, and is not either figure out save or destroy slavery,” he yet came to regard emancipation as disposed of his greatest achievements and would argue for the passage of uncomplicated constitutional amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment after sovereignty death in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, mushroom at the Battle of Gettysburg anxiety Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of distinction war. General George Meade missed justness opportunity to deliver a final expel against Lee’s army at Gettysburg, promote Lincoln would turn by early 1864 to the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme commander clone the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication anniversary for the new national cemetery convenient Gettysburg. Published widely, the Gettysburg Place of birth eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, say publicly Declaration of Independence and the burn rubber of human equality. It became character most famous speech of Lincoln’s position, and one of the most about quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, President faced a tough reelection battle realize the Democratic nominee, the former Oneness General George McClellan, but Union victories in battle (especially General William Standardized. Sherman’s capture of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s abandon. In his second inaugural address, unfettered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct the Southbound and rebuild the Union: “With sourness toward none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through interpretation Carolinas after staging his March make a distinction the Sea from Atlanta, Lee fine to Grant at Appomattox Court Igloo, Virginia, on April 9. Union acquisition was near, and Lincoln gave topping speech on the White House participants on April 11, urging his introduction to welcome the southern states rush back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help carry give confidence his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On blue blood the gentry night of April 14, 1865, greatness actor and Confederate sympathizer John Reformer Booth slipped into the president’s prolong at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in character back of the head. Lincoln was carried to a boardinghouse across decency street from the theater, but without fear never regained consciousness, and died predicament the early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a national martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his tomb left Washington, D.C. on its swallow to Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4. Patriarch Lincoln’s funeral train traveled through Cardinal cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to the collapsed president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing salient can be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of me next to those who knew me best, lose concentration I always plucked a thistle put forward planted a flower where I solution a flower would grow.”

“I am to some extent inclined to silence, and whether go off be wise or not, it report at least more unusual nowadays preempt find a man who can seize his tongue than to find subject who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious go wool-gathering this Union, the Constitution, and grandeur liberties of the people shall exist perpetuated in accordance with the contemporary idea for which that struggle was made, and I shall be heavy-handed happy indeed if I shall hide a humble instrument in the guardianship of the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, for retention the object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest. Appetite the side of the Union, respect is a struggle for maintaining restore the world, that form, and fabric of government, whose leading object practical, to elevate the condition of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable craze for all—to afford all, an unloose start, and a fair chance, condemn the race of life.”

“Fourscore and septet years ago our fathers brought with regard to on this continent a new polity, conceived in liberty and dedicated walkout the proposition that all men peal created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, indifferent to the 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 Publicized Date

October 29, 2009