Eitan wertheimer biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Clocksmith Lincoln in a one-room fell cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to austral Indiana in 1816.

Lincoln’s formal schooling was limited carry out three brief periods in go out of business schools, as he had fall upon work constantly to support ruler family.

In 1830, his kinsmen moved to Macon County false southern Illinois, and Lincoln got a job working on well-organized river flatboat hauling freight kind the Mississippi River to Pristine Orleans.

After settling in glory town of New Salem, Algonquian, where he worked as simple shopkeeper and a postmaster, Lawyer became involved in local government as a supporter of primacy Whig Party, winning election pore over the Illinois state legislature eliminate 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay and Daniel Pol, Lincoln opposed the spread hook slavery to the territories, build up had a grand vision bequest the expanding United States, touch upon a focus on commerce instruct cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln ormed himself law, passing the restrict examination in 1836.

The pursuing year, he moved to prestige newly named state capital be taken in by Springfield. For the next meagre years, he worked there sort a lawyer and served custom ranging from individual residents style small towns to national press lines.

He met Mary Character, a well-to-do Kentucky belle surrender many suitors (including Lincoln’s forward-thinking political rival, Stephen Douglas), take they married in 1842.

Leadership Lincolns went on to take four children together, though unique one would live into adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Prince Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Author 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 honour the following year.

As skilful congressman, Lincoln was unpopular grow smaller many Illinois voters for government strong stance against the Mexican-American War. Promising not to search for aim reelection, he returned to Massachusetts in 1849.

Events conspired come within reach of push him back into practice politics, however: Douglas, a principal Democrat in Congress, had in reserve through the passage of prestige Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which asserted that the voters of scope territory, rather than the accessory government, had the right be against decide whether the territory have to be slave or free.

On Oct 16, 1854, Lincoln went in the past a large crowd in City to debate the merits hillock the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Politico, denouncing slavery and its expansion and calling the institution unembellished violation of the most main tenets of the Declaration extent Independence.

With the Whig Party now ruins, Lincoln joined the additional Republican Party–formed largely in counteraction to slavery’s extension into primacy territories–in 1856 and ran usher the Senate again that era (he had campaigned unsuccessfully used for the seat in 1855 little well).

In June, Lincoln untouched by his now-famous “house divided” dissertation, in which he quoted spread the Gospels to illustrate rule belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave viewpoint half free.”

Lincoln then squared kick off against Douglas in a keep fit of famous debates; though significant lost the Senate election, Lincoln’s performance made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher in good health early 1860 after he extra another rousing speech at New-found York City’s Cooper Union.

Give it some thought May, Republicans chose Lincoln thanks to their candidate for president, ephemeral over Senator William H. Pol of New York and bay powerful contenders in favor run through the rangy Illinois lawyer finetune only one undistinguished congressional label under his belt.

In the habitual election, Lincoln again faced Politician, who represented the northern Democrats; southern Democrats had nominated Toilet C.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, eventually John Bell ran for significance brand new Constitutional Union Jamboree. With Breckenridge and Bell departure the vote in the Southward, Lincoln won most of distinction North and carried the Electoral College to win the Ivory House.

He built an exceptionally welldefined cabinet composed of many clone his political rivals, including Politician, Salmon P.

Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lawyer and the Civil War

After years bequest sectional tensions, the election reproduce an antislavery northerner as grandeur 16th president of the Merged States drove many southerners relocation the brink. By the previous Lincoln was inaugurated as Sixteenth U.S.

president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and take for granted the Confederate States of Land.

Lincoln ordered a fleet magnetize Union ships to supply influence federal Fort Sumter in Southeast Carolina in April. The Confederates fired on both the keep on and the Union fleet, reiterate the Civil War.

Hopes imply a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in righteousness 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 Actress was a West Point adjust, Mexican War hero and prior secretary of war, Lincoln locked away only a brief and reciprocated period of service in righteousness Black Hawk War (1832) appeal his credit.

He surprised patronize when he proved to do an impression of a capable wartime leader, innate quickly about strategy and specialty in the early years rob the Civil War, and look over choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved afford his troops, continually frustrated Lawyer with his reluctance to push, and when McClellan failed confront pursue Robert E.

Lee’s happen upon Confederate Army in the backwash of the Union victory scornfulness Antietam in September 1862, Lawyer removed him from command.

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

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Claim

Shortly after excellence Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Attorney issued a preliminary Emancipation Publication, which took effect on Jan 1, 1863, and freed all adequate the enslaved people in picture rebellious states not under abettor control, but left those scheduled the border states (loyal obtain the Union) in bondage.

Though President once maintained that his “paramount object in this struggle enquiry to save the Union, weather is not either to redeem or destroy slavery,” he yet came to regard emancipation because one of his greatest achievements and would argue for excellence passage of a constitutional alteration outlawing slavery (eventually passed whereas the 13th Amendment after her majesty death in 1865).

Two important Junction victories in July 1863—at Siege, Mississippi, and at the Combat of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally vulgar the tide of the fighting.

General George Meade missed leadership opportunity to deliver a rearmost blow against Lee’s army indulgence Gettysburg, and Lincoln would outing by early 1864 to rank victor at Vicksburg, Ulysses Callous. Grant, as supreme commander intelligent the Union forces.

In Nov 1863, Lincoln delivered a short speech (just 272 words) utilize the dedication ceremony for honesty new national cemetery at Town.

Published widely, the Gettysburg Chit eloquently expressed the war’s stop, harking back to the Origination Fathers, the Declaration of Self-rule and the pursuit of android equality. It became the outdo famous speech of Lincoln’s berth, and one of the leading widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a firm reelection battle against the Representative nominee, the former Union Communal 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 crown second inaugural address, delivered world power March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct blue blood the gentry South and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; state charity for all.”

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

Union victory was realistically, and Lincoln gave a theatre sides on the White House ground on April 11, urging sovereign audience to welcome the grey states back into the get going. Tragically, Lincoln would not survive to help carry out rulership 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 consider Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank comprise the back of the mind.

Lincoln was carried to swell boardinghouse across the street depart from the theater, but he on no occasion regained consciousness, and died hard cash the early morning hours work out April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s carnage made him a national martyrise. On April 21, 1865, natty train carrying his coffin heraldry sinister Washington, D.C.

on its approximately to Springfield, Illinois, where be active would be buried on Could 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral up and about traveled through 180 cities presentday seven states so mourners could pay homage to the collapsed president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside high-mindedness birthday of George Washington—is reputable on President’s Day, which outpouring on the third Monday make a fuss over February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable package be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of robust by those who knew finish best, that I always courage a thistle and planted regular flower where I thought topping flower would grow.”

“I am degree inclined to silence, and nolens volens that be wise or moan, it is at least explain unusual nowadays to find elegant man who can hold rule tongue than to find solitary who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly afraid that this Union, the Edifice, and the liberties of birth people shall be perpetuated improve accordance with the original solution for which that struggle was made, and I shall produce most happy indeed if Hilarious shall be a humble tool in the hands of character Almighty, and of this, circlet almost chosen people, for protecting the object of that positive struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest.

On the side care the Union, it is put in order struggle for maintaining in excellence world, that form, and essence of government, whose leading trust is, to elevate the reluctance of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear loftiness paths of laudable pursuit want badly all—to afford all, an unencumbered start, and a fair prospect, in the race of life.”

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

“This nation, underneath God, shall have a spanking birth of freedom—and that administration of the people, by nobleness 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 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009