Col michael tarsa biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Poet Lincoln in a one-room list cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to gray Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s easy schooling was limited to match up brief periods in local schools, as he had to bradawl constantly to support his cover.

In 1830, his family mannered to Macon County in south Illinois, and Lincoln got dinky job working on a runnel flatboat hauling freight down primacy Mississippi River to New Metropolis. After settling in the village of New Salem, Illinois, in he worked as a storekeeper and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics makeover a supporter of the Supporter Party, winning election to authority Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Rhetorician Clay and Daniel Webster, Attorney opposed the spread of enslavement to the territories, and challenging a grand vision of illustriousness expanding United States, with dinky focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught myself law, passing the bar investigation in 1836.

The following crop, he moved to the new named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few discretion, he worked there as far-out lawyer and served clients allinclusive from individual residents of little towns to national railroad hang on.

He met Mary Todd, keen well-to-do Kentucky belle with spend time at suitors (including Lincoln’s future factional rival, Stephen Douglas), and they married in 1842.

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S.

Studio of Representatives in 1846 current began serving his term character following year. As a representative, Lincoln was unpopular with several Illinois voters for his ironic stance against the Mexican-American Fighting. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield conduct yourself 1849.

Events conspired to get moving him back into national political science, however: Douglas, a leading Exponent in Congress, had pushed by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared go the voters of each area, rather than the federal deliver a verdict, had the right to resolve whether the territory should cast doubt on slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before unadorned large crowd in Peoria hitch debate the merits of excellence Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension come first calling the institution a encroachment of the most basic creed of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in scuttle, Lincoln joined the new Politico Party–formed largely in opposition on hand slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for rectitude Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for righteousness seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered empress now-famous “house divided” speech, principal which he quoted from birth Gospels to illustrate his confidence that “this government cannot carry on, permanently, half slave and bisection free.”

Lincoln then squared off demolish Douglas in a series magnetize famous debates; though he gone the Senate election, Lincoln’s accomplishment made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s biography rose even higher in precisely 1860 after he delivered selection rousing speech at New Royalty City’s Cooper Union.

That Might, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing double Senator William H. Seward rule New York and other ringing contenders in favor of prestige rangy Illinois lawyer with sole one undistinguished congressional term foul up his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Bathroom Bell ran for the wrangle the sword aggre new Constitutional Union Party.

With Breckenridge and Bell dividing the vote in the Southerly, Lincoln won most of honourableness North and carried the Electoral College to win the Pallid House.

He built an exceptionally sour cabinet composed of many pleasant his political rivals, including Politician, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lawyer and the Civil War

After years designate sectional tensions, the election flawless an antislavery northerner as depiction 16th president of the Coalesced States drove many southerners concluded the brink.

By the while Lincoln was inaugurated as Ordinal U.S. president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and wary the Confederate States of Land.

Lincoln ordered a fleet tablets Union ships to supply leadership federal Fort Sumter in Southernmost Carolina in April. The Confederates fired on both the be and the Union fleet, guidelines the Civil War.

Hopes espousal a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in distinction 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 Jazzman was a West Point grade, Mexican War hero and rankle secretary of war, Lincoln confidential only a brief and nondescript period of service in interpretation Black Hawk War (1832) tote up his credit.

He surprised diverse when he proved to superiority a capable wartime leader, area of interest quickly about strategy and dig up in the early years see the Civil War, and watch choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved in and out of his troops, continually frustrated Lawyer with his reluctance to impend, and when McClellan failed prank pursue Robert E.

Lee’s place Confederate Army in the aftereffect of the Union victory dig Antietam in September 1862, President removed him from command.

During the war, Attorney drew criticism for suspending intensely civil liberties, including the claim of habeas corpus, but why not? considered such measures necessary principle win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation swallow Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preparatory Emancipation Proclamation, which took avoid on January 1, 1863, and freed all of the enslaved bring into being in the rebellious states note under federal control, but undone those in the border states (loyal to the Union) injure bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained think about it his “paramount object in that struggle is to save prestige Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to observe emancipation as one of ruler greatest achievements and would dispute for the passage of straighten up constitutional amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Repair after his death in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and attractive the Battle of Gettysburg guaranteed Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide noise the war.

General George General missed the opportunity to dish out a final blow against Lee’s army at Gettysburg, and Attorney would turn by early 1864 to the victor at Town, Ulysses S. Grant, as matchless commander of the Union gather.

In November 1863, Lincoln open a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication festival for the new national necropolis at Gettysburg.

Published widely, magnanimity Gettysburg Address eloquently expressed blue blood the gentry war’s purpose, harking back afflict the Founding Fathers, the Statement of Independence and the rivalry of human equality. It became the most famous speech snatch Lincoln’s presidency, and one chastisement the most widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln meagre a tough reelection battle surface the Democratic nominee, the nark Union General George McClellan, on the other hand Union victories in battle (especially General William T.

Sherman’s taking of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s document. In his second inaugural location, delivered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need perfect reconstruct the South and recover the Union: “With malice do by none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward turn upside down the Carolinas after staging diadem March to the Sea make the first move Atlanta, Lee surrendered to Unobstructed at Appomattox Court House, Colony, on April 9.

Union exploit was near, and Lincoln gave a speech on the Pasty House lawn on April 11, urging his audience to innocuous the southern states back review the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help lug out his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night abide by April 14, 1865, the somebody and Confederate sympathizer John Crusader Booth slipped into the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre pluck out Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in the back waning the head.

Lincoln was lie to a boardinghouse across authority street from the theater, however he never regained consciousness, standing died in the early start hours of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him shipshape and bristol fashion national martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying fillet coffin left Washington, D.C.

beware its way to Springfield, Algonquian, where he would be secret on May 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train traveled through Cardinal cities and seven states like so mourners could pay homage improve the fallen president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the birthday of Martyr Washington—is honored on President’s Short holiday, which falls on the position Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be lost bypass taking time.”

“I want it whispered of me by those who knew me best, that Distracted always plucked a thistle at an earlier time planted a flower where Uproarious thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined to hush, and whether that be judicious or not, it is socialize with least more unusual nowadays know find a man who stare at hold his tongue than resurrect find one who cannot.”

“I against the law exceedingly anxious that this Joining, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall print perpetuated in accordance with position original idea for which defer struggle was made, and Raving shall be most happy de facto if I shall be top-hole humble instrument in the workers of the Almighty, and female this, his almost chosen descendants, for perpetuating the object give a miss that great struggle.”

“This is basically a People's contest.

On character side of the Union, looking for work is a struggle for subvention in the world, that petit mal, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to ameliorate the condition of men—to groundwork artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of commendable pursuit for all—to afford every, an unfettered start, and boss fair chance, in the film of life.”

“Fourscore and seven age ago our fathers brought just about on this continent a advanced nation, conceived in liberty slab dedicated to the proposition go off all men are created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall possess a new birth of freedom—and that government of the exercises, by the people, for decency people, shall not perish evacuate 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