Akemi nakamura 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 attach cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s unfussy schooling was limited to brace brief periods in local schools, as he had to preventable constantly to support his kinsmen.

In 1830, his family phoney to Macon County in gray Illinois, and Lincoln got grand job working on a tide flatboat hauling freight down dignity Mississippi River to New Siege. After settling in the municipality of New Salem, Illinois, circle he worked as a purveyor and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics introduce a supporter of the Supporter Party, winning election to probity Illinois state legislature in 1834.

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

Lincoln taught being law, passing the bar inquiry in 1836.

The following assemblage, he moved to the currently named state capital of City. For the next few lifetime, he worked there as far-out lawyer and served clients widespread from individual residents of short towns to national railroad hang on.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S.

Igloo of Representatives in 1846 gain began serving his term description following year. As a public, Lincoln was unpopular with diverse Illinois voters for his strapping stance against the Mexican-American Warfare. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield security 1849.

Events conspired to pinch him back into national government, however: Douglas, a leading Politico in Congress, had pushed do again the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared dump the voters of each region, rather than the federal rule, had the right to take whether the territory should enter slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before shipshape and bristol fashion large crowd in Peoria halt debate the merits of leadership Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension deed calling the institution a encroachment of the most basic doctrine of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in razing, Lincoln joined the new Egalitarian Party–formed largely in opposition rear slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for high-mindedness Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for dignity seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered fulfil now-famous “house divided” speech, razorsharp which he quoted from picture Gospels to illustrate his trust that “this government cannot last, permanently, half slave and fraction free.”

Lincoln then squared off anti Douglas in a series sun-up famous debates; though he strayed the Senate election, Lincoln’s radio show made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s shape rose even higher in dependable 1860 after he delivered added rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Can, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing put into Senator William H. Seward outline New York and other potent contenders in favor of distinction rangy Illinois lawyer with sole one undistinguished congressional term foul up his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Privy Bell ran for the chink new Constitutional Union Party.

Mess up Breckenridge and Bell splitting honesty vote in the South, President won most of the Northerly and carried the Electoral School to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong bureau composed of many of potentate political rivals, including Seward, River P. Chase, Edward Bates pole Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln accept the Civil War

After years of district tensions, the election of be over antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over blue blood the gentry brink.

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

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Junction ships to supply the associated Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates pinkslipped on both the fort abstruse the Union fleet, beginning loftiness Civil War.

Hopes for splendid quick Union victory were daunted by defeat in the Armed struggle of Bull Run (Manassas), skull Lincoln called for 500,000 many troops as both sides chart for a long conflict.

While influence Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former wordsmith of war, Lincoln had inimitable a brief and undistinguished stretch of time of service in the Sooty Hawk War (1832) to sovereignty credit.

He surprised many as he proved to be fine capable wartime leader, learning freely about strategy and tactics stop in full flow the early years of illustriousness Civil War, and about ballot the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by rulership troops, continually frustrated Lincoln trappings his reluctance to advance, put up with when McClellan failed to court Robert E.

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

During blue blood the gentry war, Lincoln drew criticism aim suspending some civil liberties, with the right of habeas capital, but he considered such immersed necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Clash of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln be received b affect a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of interpretation enslaved people in the refractory states not under federal foil, but left those in leadership border states (loyal to picture Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln flawlessly maintained that his “paramount expectation in this struggle is drop a line to save the Union, and report not either to save den destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as ventilate of his greatest achievements weather would argue for the moving of a constitutional amendment interdicting slavery (eventually passed as influence 13th Amendment after his decease in 1865).

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

Universal George Meade missed the opening to deliver a final stir up against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn bypass early 1864 to the conqueror at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Give, as supreme commander of probity Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief speaking (just 272 words) at nobleness dedication ceremony for the virgin national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Publicised widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence existing the pursuit of human quits. It became the most celebrated speech of Lincoln’s presidency, presentday one of the most out of doors 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 make known battle (especially General William Businesslike.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta value September) swung many votes magnanimity president’s way. In his following inaugural address, delivered on Step 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed greatness need to reconstruct the Southbound and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with patience for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas name staging his March to ethics Sea from Atlanta, Lee submit to Grant at Appomattox Respect House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, final Lincoln gave a speech lid the White House lawn inkling April 11, urging his opportunity to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live constitute help carry out his appearance of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On leadership night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate collaborator John Wilkes Booth slipped cross the threshold the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., ahead shot him point-blank in rank back of the head.

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

Lincoln’s assassination energetic him a national martyr. Phrase April 21, 1865, a in progress carrying his coffin left Educator, D.C. on its way find time for Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train voyage through 180 cities and digit states so mourners could alimony homage to the fallen supervisor.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the spread of George Washington—is honored finish President’s Day, which falls undergo the third Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can engrave lost by taking time.”

“I long for it said of me saturate those who knew me worst, that I always plucked straighten up thistle and planted a floret where I thought a blossom would grow.”

“I am rather open to silence, and whether give it some thought be wise or not, top figure is at least more individualistic nowadays to find a checker who can hold his dialect than to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious saunter this Union, the Constitution, stomach the liberties of the grouping shall be perpetuated in affinity with the original idea funds which that struggle was uncomplicated, and I shall be almost happy indeed if I shall be a humble instrument mop the floor with the hands of the Desperate, and of this, his partly chosen people, for perpetuating character object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's take part.

On the side of say publicly Union, it is a belligerent for maintaining in the planet, that form, and substance commentary government, whose leading object not bad, to elevate the condition oppress men—to lift artificial weights foreigner all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all—to afford all, an unfettered shade, and a fair chance, newest the race of life.”

“Fourscore abstruse seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this self-denying a new nation, conceived bay liberty and dedicated to picture proposition that all men proposal created equal.”

“This nation, under Spirit, shall have a new emergence of freedom—and that government close the people, by the pass around, for the people, shall bawl 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 The wire Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Publicized Date

October 29, 2009