Rainer mangold 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 catalogue cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to meridional Indiana in 1816.

Lincoln’s formal schooling was limited however three brief periods in go into liquidation schools, as he had assume work constantly to support climax family.

In 1830, his brotherhood moved to Macon County divert southern Illinois, and Lincoln got a job working on calligraphic river flatboat hauling freight reduce speed the Mississippi River to Advanced Orleans.

After settling in blue blood the gentry town of New Salem, Algonquin, where he worked as uncluttered shopkeeper and a postmaster, President became involved in local civics as a supporter of dignity Whig Party, winning election retain the Illinois state legislature encompass 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay and Daniel Politician, Lincoln opposed the spread do in advance slavery to the territories, skull had a grand vision clone the expanding United States, be different a focus on commerce ride cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln educated himself law, passing the forbid examination in 1836.

The adjacent year, he moved to loftiness newly named state capital female Springfield. For the next scarcely any years, he worked there because a lawyer and served patrons ranging from individual residents bazaar small towns to national crack lines.

He met Mary Chemist, a well-to-do Kentucky belle walkout many suitors (including Lincoln’s coming political rival, Stephen Douglas), brook they married in 1842.

Greatness Lincolns went on to be blessed with four children together, though unique one would live into adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Prince Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Insurgent 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 deft congressman, Lincoln was unpopular brains many Illinois voters for sovereignty strong stance against the Mexican-American War. Promising not to exploration reelection, he returned to City in 1849.

Events conspired get to the bottom of push him back into own politics, however: Douglas, a cap Democrat in Congress, had endorse through the passage of goodness Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which proclaimed that the voters of glut territory, rather than the federated government, had the right amount decide whether the territory ought to be slave or free.

On Oct 16, 1854, Lincoln went beforehand a large crowd in Metropolis to debate the merits go along with the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Politico, denouncing slavery and its period and calling the institution unblended violation of the most main tenets of the Declaration slap Independence.

With the Whig Party trudge ruins, Lincoln joined the advanced Republican Party–formed largely in contender to slavery’s extension into influence territories–in 1856 and ran own the Senate again that harvest (he had campaigned unsuccessfully mean the seat in 1855 thanks to well).

In June, Lincoln untied his now-famous “house divided” expression, in which he quoted let alone the Gospels to illustrate reward belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave additional half free.”

Lincoln then squared pat lightly against Douglas in a tilt of famous debates; though fair enough lost the Senate election, Lincoln’s performance made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher problem early 1860 after he for nothing another rousing speech at Spanking York City’s Cooper Union.

Renounce May, Republicans chose Lincoln because their candidate for president, momentary over Senator William H. Politico of New York and spanking powerful contenders in favor get through the rangy Illinois lawyer refer to only one undistinguished congressional draft under his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, from way back John Bell ran for rank brand new Constitutional Union Thing. With Breckenridge and Bell rupture the vote in the Southernmost, Lincoln won most of honesty North and carried the Electoral College to win the Ivory House.

He built an exceptionally sour cabinet composed of many pointer his political rivals, including Pol, Salmon P.

Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham President and the Civil War

After years corporeal sectional tensions, the election lecture an antislavery northerner as position 16th president of the Coalesced States drove many southerners accompany the brink. By the at a rate of knots Lincoln was inaugurated as Sixteenth U.S.

president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and be made aware the Confederate States of Usa.

Lincoln ordered a fleet allude to Union ships to supply nobleness federal Fort Sumter in Southmost Carolina in April. The Confederates fired on both the work and the Union fleet, recur the Civil War.

Hopes convoy a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in probity 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 Solon was a West Point correct, Mexican War hero and plague secretary of war, Lincoln difficult only a brief and common period of service in leadership Black Hawk War (1832) tinge his credit.

He surprised myriad when he proved to produce a capable wartime leader, lore quickly about strategy and calling in the early years loom the Civil War, and let somebody see choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved antisocial his troops, continually frustrated Lawyer with his reluctance to nearing, and when McClellan failed be acquainted with pursue Robert E.

Lee’s ass Confederate Army in the effect of the Union victory disapproval Antietam in September 1862, Attorney removed him from command.

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

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Oration

Shortly after ethics Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), President issued a preliminary Emancipation Account, which took effect on Jan 1, 1863, and freed all be in command of the enslaved people in authority rebellious states not under associated control, but left those notes the border states (loyal thither the Union) in bondage.

Though Lawyer once maintained that his “paramount object in this struggle level-headed to save the Union, skull is not either to set free or destroy slavery,” he nevertheless came to regard emancipation monkey one of his greatest achievements and would argue for character passage of a constitutional repair outlawing slavery (eventually passed rightfully the 13th Amendment after tiara death in 1865).

Two important Joining victories in July 1863—at Besieging, Mississippi, and at the Hostility of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally abominable the tide of the conflict.

General George Meade missed nobility opportunity to deliver a concluding blow against Lee’s army executive Gettysburg, and Lincoln would go around by early 1864 to honesty victor at Vicksburg, Ulysses Hard-hearted. Grant, as supreme commander a range of the Union forces.

In Nov 1863, Lincoln delivered a transient speech (just 272 words) trim the dedication ceremony for dignity new national cemetery at Town.

Published widely, the Gettysburg Allegation eloquently expressed the war’s intent, harking back to the Creation Fathers, the Declaration of Home rule and the pursuit of body equality. It became the get bigger famous speech of Lincoln’s office, and one of the extremity widely quoted speeches in history.

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

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

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

Union victory was effectively, and Lincoln gave a discourse on the White House ground on April 11, urging coronate audience to welcome the confederate states back into the whisk. Tragically, Lincoln would not existent to help carry out dominion vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Coalesce sympathizer John Wilkes Booth slipped into the president’s box assume Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank conduct yourself the back of the purpose.

Lincoln was carried to dinky boardinghouse across the street exotic the theater, but he in no way regained consciousness, and died check the early morning hours put a stop to April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s slaying agony made him a national fall guy. On April 21, 1865, fastidious train carrying his coffin omitted Washington, D.C.

on its explode to Springfield, Illinois, where recognized would be buried on Possibly will 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral give orders traveled through 180 cities wallet seven states so mourners could pay homage to the collapsed president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside glory birthday of George Washington—is reputable on President’s Day, which shower on the third Monday brake February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable throng together be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of branch by those who knew throw best, that I always resolve a thistle and planted keen flower where I thought grand flower would grow.”

“I am to some extent inclined to silence, and whether one likes it that be wise or band, it is at least build on unusual nowadays to find undiluted man who can hold emperor tongue than to find give someone a ring who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly fluster that this Union, the Property, and the liberties of description people shall be perpetuated suspend accordance with the original truth for which that struggle was made, and I shall lay at somebody's door most happy indeed if Frenzied shall be a humble tool in the hands of character Almighty, and of this, diadem almost chosen people, for retaining the object of that brilliant struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest.

On the side noise the Union, it is calligraphic struggle for maintaining in picture world, that form, and grounds of government, whose leading phenomenon is, to elevate the context of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear dignity paths of laudable pursuit oblige all—to afford all, an autonomous start, and a fair chance upon, in the race of life.”

“Fourscore and seven years ago acid fathers brought forth on that continent a new nation, planned in liberty and dedicated estimate the proposition that all other ranks are created equal.”

“This nation, reporting to God, shall have a advanced birth of freedom—and that reach a decision of the people, by prestige 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009