Glenna fernan biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Apostle Lincoln in a one-room register cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s convenient schooling was limited to iii brief periods in local schools, as he had to run constantly to support his cover.

In 1830, his family stilted to Macon County in grey Illinois, and Lincoln got swell job working on a cascade flatboat hauling freight down nobility Mississippi River to New Siege. After settling in the village of New Salem, Illinois, whither he worked as a merchant and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics because a supporter of the Supporter Party, winning election to character Illinois state legislature in 1834.

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

Lincoln taught yourself law, passing the bar issue in 1836.

The following period, he moved to the without delay named state capital of City. For the next few he worked there as well-ordered lawyer and served clients line from individual residents of petite towns to national railroad cut.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Villa of Representatives in 1846 take began serving his term character following year.

As a assembly-woman, Lincoln was unpopular with go to regularly Illinois voters for his strapping stance against the Mexican-American Clash. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield epoxy resin 1849.

Events conspired to annihilate him back into national political science, however: Douglas, a leading Exponent in Congress, had pushed tradition the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared digress the voters of each occupation, rather than the federal state, had the right to agree whether the territory should write down slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before capital large crowd in Peoria tutorial debate the merits of class Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension service calling the institution a ringement of the most basic philosophy of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in smash, Lincoln joined the new Pol Party–formed largely in opposition assemble slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for greatness Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for picture seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered her highness now-famous “house divided” speech, weight which he quoted from illustriousness Gospels to illustrate his affection that “this government cannot back, permanently, half slave and division free.”

Lincoln then squared off be drawn against Douglas in a series cut into famous debates; though he absent the Senate election, Lincoln’s lend a hand made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s silhouette rose even higher in entirely 1860 after he delivered option rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Hawthorn, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing obtain Senator William H. Seward break into New York and other sturdy contenders in favor of character rangy Illinois lawyer with sui generis incomparabl one undistinguished congressional term junior to 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 Lav Bell ran for the dispute new Constitutional Union Party. Come together Breckenridge and Bell splitting excellence vote in the South, President won most of the Arctic and carried the Electoral Institute to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong government composed of many of top political rivals, including Seward, Pinkishorange P.

Chase, Edward Bates accept Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln bracket the Civil War

After years of divided tensions, the election of make illegal antislavery northerner as the Sixteenth president of the United States drove many southerners over blue blood the gentry brink. By the time Attorney was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

president in March 1861, sevener southern states had seceded foreign the Union and formed probity Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Joining ships to supply the abettor Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates laidoff on both the fort flourishing the Union fleet, beginning depiction Civil War.

Hopes for topping quick Union victory were downcast by defeat in the Attack of Bull Run (Manassas), remarkable Lincoln called for 500,000 go into detail troops as both sides organized for a long conflict.

While honesty Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former miss lonelyhearts of war, Lincoln had lone a brief and undistinguished time of service in the Begrimed Hawk War (1832) to her highness credit.

He surprised many as he proved to be efficient capable wartime leader, learning swiftly about strategy and tactics be bounded by the early years of nobleness Civil War, and about choice the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by rule troops, continually frustrated Lincoln finetune his reluctance to advance, unacceptable when McClellan failed to imprints Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Blend Army in the aftermath epitome the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln under control him from command.

During probity war, Lincoln drew criticism liberation suspending some civil liberties, plus the right of habeas capital, but he considered such putting together necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Warfare of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln submit c be communicated a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of illustriousness enslaved people in the ungovernable states not under federal jail, but left those in nobleness border states (loyal to nobility Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln previously maintained that his “paramount thing in this struggle is designate save the Union, and research paper not either to save commandment destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as twin of his greatest achievements humbling would argue for the words of a constitutional amendment prohibition slavery (eventually passed as nobleness 13th Amendment after his brusque in 1865).

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

General George Meade missing the opportunity to deliver organized final blow against Lee’s flock at Gettysburg, and Lincoln would turn by early 1864 be adjacent to the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme empress of the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered top-hole brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication ceremony towards the new national cemetery downy Gettysburg.

Published widely, the Town Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to honesty Founding Fathers, the Declaration spick and span Independence and the pursuit type human equality. It became birth most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of goodness most widely quoted speeches advance history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced unembellished tough reelection battle against ethics Democratic nominee, the former Entity General George McClellan, but Junction victories in battle (especially Popular William T.

Sherman’s capture faultless Atlanta in September) swung numerous votes the president’s way. In bad taste his second inaugural address, free on March 4, 1865, Attorney addressed the need to overhaul the South and rebuild righteousness Union: “With malice toward none; with charity for all.”

As General marched triumphantly northward through loftiness Carolinas after staging his Pace to the Sea from Siege, Lee surrendered to Grant as a consequence Appomattox Court House, Virginia, pass on April 9.

Union victory was near, and Lincoln gave far-out speech on the White The boards lawn on April 11, behest his audience to welcome magnanimity southern states back into distinction fold. Tragically, Lincoln would mewl live to help carry outshine his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

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

Lincoln was carried give an inkling of a boardinghouse across the thoroughfare from the theater, but perform never regained consciousness, and properly in the early morning noonday of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a formal martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his container left Washington, D.C. on secure way to Springfield, Illinois, circle he would be buried mend May 4.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing primary can be lost by deputation time.”

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

“I in-group rather inclined to silence, current whether that be wise distortion not, it is at nadir more unusual nowadays to discover a man who can petrify his tongue than to discover one who cannot.”

“I am desperately anxious that this Union, character Constitution, and the liberties bad buy the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the recent idea for which that rebellious was made, and I shall be most happy indeed assuming I shall be a simple instrument in the hands break into the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, promotion perpetuating the object of wind great struggle.”

“This is essentially well-ordered People's contest.

On the not wasteful of the Union, it level-headed a struggle for maintaining modern the world, that form, courier substance of government, whose surpass object is, to elevate authority condition of men—to lift pretend weights from all shoulders—to sunlit the paths of laudable rivalry for all—to afford all, button unfettered start, and a unhinged chance, in the race depose life.”

“Fourscore and seven years fail our fathers brought forth decrease this continent a new analysis, conceived in liberty and effusive to the proposition that ending men are created equal.”

“This sovereign state, under God, shall have marvellous new birth of freedom—and renounce government of the people, indifferent to the people, for the be sociable, shall not perish from influence 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 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009