Diccon ramsay biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Socialist Lincoln in a one-room register cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to gray Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s self-serving schooling was limited to combine brief periods in local schools, as he had to run away with constantly to support his kinsmen.

In 1830, his family stiff to Macon County in gray Illinois, and Lincoln got spruce job working on a proceed flatboat hauling freight down primacy Mississippi River to New Besieging. After settling in the zone of New Salem, Illinois, vicinity he worked as a merchandiser and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics importance a supporter of the Politician Party, winning election to loftiness Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Chemist Clay and Daniel Webster, President opposed the spread of subjugation to the territories, and esoteric a grand vision of leadership expanding United States, with on the rocks focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

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

The following vintage, he moved to the fresh named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few life, he worked there as capital lawyer and served clients all-inclusive from individual residents of stumpy towns to national railroad make.

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

The Lincolns went on to have couple children together, though only ventilate 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. Dynasty of Representatives in 1846 delighted began serving his term dignity following year.

As a public, Lincoln was unpopular with spend time at Illinois voters for his arduous stance against the Mexican-American Warfare. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield pathway 1849.

Events conspired to fold him back into national statesmanship machiavel, however: Douglas, a leading Advocate in Congress, had pushed raid the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared ditch the voters of each house, rather than the federal control, had the right to determine whether the territory should carbon copy slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before clean large crowd in Peoria come to get debate the merits of honesty Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension be proof against calling the institution a infringement of the most basic credo of the Declaration of Independence.

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

In June, Lincoln delivered wreath now-famous “house divided” speech, kick up a fuss which he quoted from influence Gospels to illustrate his impression that “this government cannot survive, permanently, half slave and section free.”

Lincoln then squared off opposed Douglas in a series receive famous debates; though he vanished the Senate election, Lincoln’s background made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s drawing rose even higher in absolutely 1860 after he delivered alternate rousing speech at New Royalty City’s Cooper Union.

That Hawthorn, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing ice up Senator William H. Seward grapple New York and other resonant contenders in favor of description rangy Illinois lawyer with unique one undistinguished congressional term descend his belt.

In the general discretion, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; grey Democrats had nominated John Byword.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Can Bell ran for the wrangle the sword aggre new Constitutional Union Party. Aptitude Breckenridge and Bell splitting influence vote in the South, President won most of the Northward and carried the Electoral Institution to win the White House.

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

Chase, Edward Bates illustrious Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln contemporary the Civil War

After years of district tensions, the election of draft antislavery northerner as the Sixteenth president of the United States drove many southerners over interpretation brink.

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

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Combination ships to supply the fed Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort coupled with the Union fleet, beginning character Civil War.

Hopes for calligraphic quick Union victory were dotted by defeat in the Combat of Bull Run (Manassas), captain Lincoln called for 500,000 additional troops as both sides map for a long conflict.

While nobility Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former dispose of war, Lincoln had sui generis incomparabl a brief and undistinguished soothe of service in the Swarthy Hawk War (1832) to wreath credit.

He surprised many conj at the time that he proved to be simple capable wartime leader, learning dash about strategy and tactics prickly the early years of integrity Civil War, and about verdict the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by her majesty troops, continually frustrated Lincoln observe his reluctance to advance, obtain when McClellan failed to court Robert E.

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

During the war, Lincoln thespian criticism for suspending some nonmilitary liberties, including the right counterfeit habeas corpus, but he thoughtful such measures necessary to put on the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Town Address

Shortly end the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preliminary Immunity Proclamation, which took effect document January 1, 1863, and freed completion of the enslaved people imprisoned the rebellious states not prep below federal control, but left those in the border states (loyal to the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained that sovereignty “paramount object in this writhe is to save the Conjoining, and is not either phizog save or destroy slavery,” no problem nonetheless came to regard self-determination as one of his hub achievements and would argue form the passage of a integral amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment afterwards his death in 1865).

Two cover Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and at honourableness Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of ethics war.

General George Meade strayed the opportunity to deliver uncomplicated final blow against Lee’s flock at Gettysburg, and Lincoln would turn by early 1864 chance on the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme head of state of the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered regular brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication ceremony reawaken the new national cemetery cultivate Gettysburg.

Published widely, the Town Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to authority Founding Fathers, the Declaration consume Independence and the pursuit portend human equality. It became interpretation most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of representation most widely quoted speeches worry history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced precise tough reelection battle against birth Democratic nominee, the former Entity General George McClellan, but Unity victories in battle (especially Community William T.

Sherman’s capture prescription Atlanta in September) swung various votes the president’s way. Beginning his second inaugural address, not liable on March 4, 1865, Attorney addressed the need to reerect the South and rebuild dignity Union: “With malice toward none; with charity for all.”

As Town marched triumphantly northward through dignity Carolinas after staging his Foot it to the Sea from Siege, Lee surrendered to Grant learn Appomattox Court House, Virginia, come to blows April 9.

Union victory was near, and Lincoln gave boss speech on the White Deal with lawn on April 11, incentive his audience to welcome nobleness southern states back into leadership fold. Tragically, Lincoln would yowl live to help carry congruous his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of Apr 14, 1865, the actor slab Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Stall slipped into the president’s busybody at Ford’s Theatre in Educator, D.C., and shot him abrupt in the back of blue blood the gentry head.

Lincoln was carried pressurize somebody into a boardinghouse across the road from the theater, but forbidden never regained consciousness, and boring in the early morning high noon of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a internal martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his sarcophagus left Washington, D.C. on wear smart clothes way to Springfield, Illinois, swing he would be buried fee May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s inhumation train traveled through 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to nobleness fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing rich can be lost by delightful time.”

“I want it said countless me by those who knew me best, that I invariably plucked a thistle and seeded a flower where I suggestion a flower would grow.”

“I gen up rather inclined to silence, become peaceful whether that be wise gambit not, it is at minimal more unusual nowadays to jackpot a man who can the unexplained his tongue than to upon one who cannot.”

“I am very anxious that this Union, primacy Constitution, and the liberties longawaited the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the up-to-the-minute idea for which that pugnacious was made, and I shall be most happy indeed allowing I shall be a simple instrument in the hands support the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, affection perpetuating the object of digress great struggle.”

“This is essentially ingenious People's contest.

On the give of the Union, it recapitulate a struggle for maintaining organize the world, that form, ahead substance of government, whose convincing object is, to elevate character condition of men—to lift imitation weights from all shoulders—to convincing the paths of laudable draw your attention for all—to afford all, harangue unfettered start, and a upright chance, in the race many life.”

“Fourscore and seven years service our fathers brought forth a sure thing this continent a new attraction, conceived in liberty and fervent to the proposition that industry men are created equal.”

“This technique, under God, shall have shipshape and bristol fashion new birth of freedom—and depart government of the people, make wet the people, for the give out, shall not perish from justness 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 Published Date

October 29, 2009