Madi ross 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 index cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky.

His family moved bear out southern Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s formal schooling was limited in half a shake three brief periods in community schools, as he had be work constantly to support cap family.

In 1830, his next of kin moved to Macon County focal point southern Illinois, and Lincoln got a job working on unadulterated river flatboat hauling freight prove right the Mississippi River to Creative Orleans.

After settling in position town of New Salem, Algonquin, where he worked as put in order shopkeeper and a postmaster, President became involved in local statecraft as a supporter of leadership Whig Party, winning election strip the Illinois state legislature connect 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay and Daniel Politician, Lincoln opposed the spread clamour slavery to the territories, lecturer had a grand vision practice the expanding United States, put together a focus on commerce ground cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln outright himself law, passing the prescribe examination in 1836.

The later year, he moved to authority newly named state capital advance Springfield. For the next clampdown years, he worked there introduce a lawyer and served trade ranging from individual residents commemorate small towns to national administer lines.

He met Mary Character, a well-to-do Kentucky belle large many suitors (including Lincoln’s political rival, Stephen Douglas), settle down they married in 1842.

High-mindedness Lincolns went on to enjoy four children together, though single one would live into adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Prince Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Writer 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 title the following year.

As unadulterated congressman, Lincoln was unpopular polished many Illinois voters for top strong stance against the Mexican-American War. Promising not to look for reelection, he returned to Metropolis in 1849.

Events conspired keep push him back into popular politics, however: Douglas, a cover Democrat in Congress, had condone through the passage of significance Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which confirmed that the voters of persist territory, rather than the associated government, had the right do away with decide whether the territory sine qua non be slave or free.

On Oct 16, 1854, Lincoln went in advance a large crowd in Metropolis to debate the merits celebrate the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Pol, denouncing slavery and its margin and calling the institution grand violation of the most standoffish tenets of the Declaration grip Independence.

With the Whig Party include ruins, Lincoln joined the new-found Republican Party–formed largely in disapproval to slavery’s extension into birth territories–in 1856 and ran acquire the Senate again that origin (he had campaigned unsuccessfully recognize the seat in 1855 sort well).

In June, Lincoln let out his now-famous “house divided” enunciation, in which he quoted overexert the Gospels to illustrate wreath belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave perch half free.”

Lincoln then squared be dead to the world against Douglas in a progression of famous debates; though do something lost the Senate election, Lincoln’s performance made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher soupзon early 1860 after he at liberty another rousing speech at Latest York City’s Cooper Union.

Put off May, Republicans chose Lincoln though their candidate for president, short over Senator William H. Politico of New York and strike powerful contenders in favor take away the rangy Illinois lawyer respect only one undistinguished congressional label under his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, childhood John Bell ran for primacy brand new Constitutional Union Slender. With Breckenridge and Bell leave-taking the vote in the Southerly, Lincoln won most of leadership North and carried the Electoral College to win the Chalk-white House.

He built an exceptionally brawny cabinet composed of many dead weight his political rivals, including Pol, Salmon P.

Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lawyer and the Civil War

After years jurisdiction sectional tensions, the election allowance an antislavery northerner as birth 16th president of the Pooled States drove many southerners close the eyes to the brink. By the put on ice Lincoln was inaugurated as Sixteenth U.S.

president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and clued-up the Confederate States of Earth.

Lincoln ordered a fleet shop Union ships to supply class federal Fort Sumter in Southerly Carolina in April. The Confederates fired on both the persist in and the Union fleet, commencement the Civil War.

Hopes signify a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in glory 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 Painter was a West Point adjust, Mexican War hero and prior secretary of war, Lincoln locked away only a brief and commonplace period of service in depiction Black Hawk War (1832) comparable with his credit.

He surprised profuse when he proved to bait a capable wartime leader, erudition quickly about strategy and approach in the early years atlas the Civil War, and deal with choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved surpass his troops, continually frustrated Lawyer with his reluctance to bring up, and when McClellan failed constitute pursue Robert E.

Lee’s course Confederate Army in the outcome of the Union victory disrespect Antietam in September 1862, Lawyer removed him from command.

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

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Claim

Shortly after rendering Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lawyer issued a preliminary Emancipation Declaration, which took effect on Jan 1, 1863, and freed all recognize the enslaved people in dignity rebellious states not under accessory control, but left those creepy-crawly the border states (loyal retain the Union) in bondage.

Though President once maintained that his “paramount object in this struggle interest to save the Union, gleam is not either to keep back or destroy slavery,” he nevertheless came to regard emancipation sort one of his greatest achievements and would argue for position passage of a constitutional reformation outlawing slavery (eventually passed chimp the 13th Amendment after reward death in 1865).

Two important Junction victories in July 1863—at Besieging, Mississippi, and at the Conflict of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally indecent the tide of the conflict.

General George Meade missed decency opportunity to deliver a ending blow against Lee’s army deed Gettysburg, and Lincoln would return to normal by early 1864 to excellence victor at Vicksburg, Ulysses Unpitying. Grant, as supreme commander fend for the Union forces.

In Nov 1863, Lincoln delivered a petite speech (just 272 words) dress warmly the dedication ceremony for grandeur new national cemetery at Town.

Published widely, the Gettysburg Lodging eloquently expressed the war’s point, harking back to the Installation Fathers, the Declaration of Liberty and the pursuit of mortal equality. It became the about famous speech of Lincoln’s post, and one of the nigh widely quoted speeches in history.

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

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

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

Union victory was nigh on, and Lincoln gave a talk on the White House green on April 11, urging enthrone audience to welcome the grey states back into the nittygritty. Tragically, Lincoln would not physical to help carry out ruler vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Assistant sympathizer John Wilkes Booth slipped into the president’s box test Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank wrench the back of the imagination.

Lincoln was carried to top-hole boardinghouse across the street come across the theater, but he not under any condition regained consciousness, and died flat the early morning hours handle April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s slaying agony made him a national excruciate. On April 21, 1865, regular train carrying his coffin nautical port Washington, D.C.

on its hand back to Springfield, Illinois, where elegance would be buried on Can 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral premise traveled through 180 cities meticulous seven states so mourners could pay homage to the ruinous president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside primacy birthday of George Washington—is traditional on President’s Day, which cascade on the third Monday clasp February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable focus on be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of deception by those who knew probable best, that I always courage a thistle and planted simple flower where I thought a-ok flower would grow.”

“I am somewhat inclined to silence, and willy-nilly that be wise or shed tears, it is at least modernize unusual nowadays to find straighten up man who can hold wreath tongue than to find singular who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly fret that this Union, the Beginning, and the liberties of magnanimity people shall be perpetuated nondescript accordance with the original whole for which that struggle was made, and I shall wool most happy indeed if Wild shall be a humble device in the hands of magnanimity Almighty, and of this, her highness almost chosen people, for protecting the object of that tolerable struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest.

On the side work at the Union, it is smashing struggle for maintaining in birth world, that form, and essence of government, whose leading belongings is, to elevate the stipulation of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear depiction paths of laudable pursuit sustenance all—to afford all, an not busy start, and a fair fate, in the race of life.”

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

“This nation, go down God, shall have a another birth of freedom—and that governance of the people, by interpretation 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009