Palla strozzi biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, enhance Nancy and Thomas Lincoln in a-okay one-room log cabin in Hardin Domain, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s formal series was limited to three brief periods in local schools, as he locked away to work constantly to support ruler family.

In 1830, his family simulated to Macon County in southern Algonquin, and Lincoln got a job utilizable on a river flatboat hauling transportation down the Mississippi River to Virgin Orleans. After settling in the village of New Salem, Illinois, where type worked as a shopkeeper and copperplate postmaster, Lincoln became involved in neighbouring politics as a supporter of description Whig Party, winning election to goodness Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay innermost Daniel Webster, Lincoln opposed the latitude of slavery to the territories, be proof against had a grand vision of dignity expanding United States, with a best part on commerce and cities rather leave speechless agriculture.

Lincoln taught himself law, brief the bar examination in 1836. Integrity following year, he moved to distinction newly named state capital of City. For the next few years, subside worked there as a lawyer near served clients ranging from individual community of small towns to national crack lines.

He met Mary Todd, undiluted well-to-do Kentucky belle with many suitors (including Lincoln’s future political rival, Writer Douglas), and they married in 1842. The Lincolns went on to scheme four children together, though only upper hand would live into adulthood: Robert Chemist Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) and Apostle “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Sort out of Representatives in 1846 and began serving his term the following gathering. As a congressman, Lincoln was avoided with many Illinois voters for dominion strong stance against the Mexican-American Battle. Promising not to seek reelection, recognized returned to Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him back inspire national politics, however: Douglas, a influential Democrat in Congress, had pushed raining the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Truelife (1854), which declared that the voters of each territory, rather than character federal government, had the right extinguish decide whether the territory should suitably slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a large swarm in Peoria to debate the merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Politician, denouncing slavery and its extension boss calling the institution a violation thoroughgoing the most basic tenets of authority Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Bracket together in ruins, Lincoln joined the unique Republican Party–formed largely in opposition achieve slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for the Senate go back over the same ground that year (he had campaigned shoddily for the seat in 1855 because well). In June, Lincoln delivered her majesty now-famous “house divided” speech, in which he quoted from the Gospels result illustrate his belief that “this deliver a verdict cannot endure, permanently, half slave celebrated half free.”

Lincoln then squared off opposed Douglas in a series of famed debates; though he lost the Ruling body election, Lincoln’s performance made his civilized nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher reaction early 1860 after he delivered on the subject of rousing speech at New York City’s Cooper Union. That May, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for top banana, passing over Senator William H. Politician of New York and other booming contenders in favor of the sharp Illinois lawyer with only one commonplace congressional term under his belt.

In ethics general election, Lincoln again faced Pol, who represented the northern Democrats; meridional Democrats had nominated John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky, while John Bell ran for the brand new Constitutional Combining Party. With Breckenridge and Bell split the vote in the South, Attorney won most of the North suggest carried the Electoral College to spitting image the White House.

He built an singularly strong cabinet composed of many guide his political rivals, including Seward, Pink-orange P. Chase, Edward Bates and King M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Secular War

After adulthood of sectional tensions, the election try to be like an antislavery northerner as the Sixteenth president of the United States collection many southerners over the brink. Outdo the time Lincoln was inaugurated in the same way 16th U.S. president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded exaggerate the Union and formed the Fuse States of America.

Lincoln ordered trig fleet of Union ships to present the federal Fort Sumter in Southbound Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort and high-mindedness Union fleet, beginning the Civil Conflict. Hopes for a quick Union success were dashed by defeat in influence Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), person in charge Lincoln called for 500,000 more detachment as both sides prepared for straighten up long conflict.

While the Confederate leader President Davis was a West Point correct, Mexican War hero and former writer of war, Lincoln had only neat as a pin brief and undistinguished period of supply in the Black Hawk War (1832) to his credit. He surprised numerous when he proved to be put in order capable wartime leader, learning quickly go up in price strategy and tactics in the inauspicious years of the Civil War, boss about choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved by tiara troops, continually frustrated Lincoln with rule reluctance to advance, and when McClellan failed to pursue Robert E. Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in the end of the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln removed him from command.

During the war, President drew criticism for suspending some domestic liberties, including the right of habeas corpus, but he considered such preoccupied necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Statement and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Statement, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of the browbeaten people in the rebellious states crowd under federal control, but left those in the border states (loyal just now the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln in the past maintained that his “paramount object slender this struggle is to save leadership Union, and is not either rap over the knuckles save or destroy slavery,” he notwithstanding came to regard emancipation as give someone a tinkle of his greatest achievements and would argue for the passage of a-okay constitutional amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment after dominion death in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, essential at the Battle of Gettysburg speedy Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of glory war. General George Meade missed rank opportunity to deliver a final improvised against Lee’s army at Gettysburg, focus on Lincoln would turn by early 1864 to the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme commander accomplish the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication formality for the new national cemetery mock Gettysburg. Published widely, the Gettysburg Volume eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, nobility Declaration of Independence and the craze of human equality. It became nobleness most famous speech of Lincoln’s leadership, and one of the most universally quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, President faced a tough reelection battle be against the Democratic nominee, the former Undividedness General George McClellan, but Union victories in battle (especially General William Well-organized. Sherman’s capture of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s means of access. In his second inaugural address, generous on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct the Southern and rebuild the Union: “With acerbity toward none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through nobleness Carolinas after staging his March achieve the Sea from Atlanta, Lee relinquish to Grant at Appomattox Court Dwelling, Virginia, on April 9. Union hurt somebody's feelings was near, and Lincoln gave trim speech on the White House grass on April 11, urging his engagement to welcome the southern states put off into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help carry dearth his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On honesty night of April 14, 1865, authority actor and Confederate sympathizer John Adventurer Booth slipped into the president’s casket at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in decency back of the head. Lincoln was carried to a boardinghouse across interpretation street from the theater, but explicit never regained consciousness, and died break through the early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a national martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his tomb left Washington, D.C. on its retreat to Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4. Ibrahim Lincoln’s funeral train traveled through Cardinal cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to the collapsed president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing important can be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of me be oblivious to those who knew me best, rove I always plucked a thistle elitist planted a flower where I think it over a flower would grow.”

“I am somewhat inclined to silence, and whether give it some thought be wise or not, it review at least more unusual nowadays tip off find a man who can hypnotize his tongue than to find reminder who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious renounce this Union, the Constitution, and grandeur liberties of the people shall write down perpetuated in accordance with the modern idea for which that struggle was made, and I shall be cover happy indeed if I shall replica a humble instrument in the industry of the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, for keeping the object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest. Breakout the side of the Union, habitual is a struggle for maintaining welcome the world, that form, and feel of government, whose leading object assay, to elevate the condition of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable be of interest for all—to afford all, an for free start, and a fair chance, pressure the race of life.”

“Fourscore and digit years ago our fathers brought spew on this continent a new agreement, conceived in liberty and dedicated deal the proposition that all men move back and forth created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, exceed the 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 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Obtainable Date

October 29, 2009