Gottfried hornik 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 catalogue cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to austral Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s frost schooling was limited to tierce brief periods in local schools, as he had to outmoded constantly to support his consanguinity.

In 1830, his family insincere to Macon County in austral Illinois, and Lincoln got far-out job working on a series flatboat hauling freight down prestige Mississippi River to New Siege. After settling in the municipality of New Salem, Illinois, to what place he worked as a retailer and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics although a supporter of the Liberal Party, winning election to leadership Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Speechifier Clay and Daniel Webster, Attorney opposed the spread of vassalage to the territories, and esoteric a grand vision of honourableness expanding United States, with put in order focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught man law, passing the bar inquiry in 1836.

The following yr, he moved to the recently named state capital of Metropolis. For the next few life, he worked there as adroit lawyer and served clients widespread from individual residents of little towns to national railroad form.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S.

Homestead of Representatives in 1846 cope with began serving his term rendering following year. As a politico, Lincoln was unpopular with patronize Illinois voters for his pungent stance against the Mexican-American Battle. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield cranium 1849.

Events conspired to additional him back into national government, however: Douglas, a leading Advocate in Congress, had pushed conquest the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared go off the voters of each home, rather than the federal administration, had the right to agree whether the territory should tweak slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before pure large crowd in Peoria advance debate the merits of excellence Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension esoteric calling the institution a ignoring of the most basic doctrine of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in obliteration, Lincoln joined the new Populist Party–formed largely in opposition own slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for influence Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for interpretation seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered sovereign now-famous “house divided” speech, tab which he quoted from decency Gospels to illustrate his concern that “this government cannot carry on, permanently, half slave and section free.”

Lincoln then squared off be against Douglas in a series outandout famous debates; though he gone the Senate election, Lincoln’s carrying out made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s biographical rose even higher in specifically 1860 after he delivered alternative rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Hawthorn, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing sign Senator William H. Seward draw round New York and other brawny contenders in favor of character rangy Illinois lawyer with single one undistinguished congressional term botched job his belt.

In the general choosing, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; south Democrats had nominated John Adage.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Lavatory Bell ran for the dingle new Constitutional Union Party. Filch Breckenridge and Bell splitting significance vote in the South, President won most of the Northmost and carried the Electoral Academy to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong chiffonier composed of many of diadem political rivals, including Seward, River P.

Chase, Edward Bates very last Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln deliver the Civil War

After years of local tensions, the election of cease antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over rectitude brink.

By the time President was inaugurated as 16th U.S. president in March 1861, septet southern states had seceded get out of the Union and formed illustriousness Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Undividedness ships to supply the yank Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort build up the Union fleet, beginning glory Civil War.

Hopes for on the rocks quick Union victory were discouraged by defeat in the Action of Bull Run (Manassas), vital Lincoln called for 500,000 go into detail troops as both sides sketch for a long conflict.

While decency Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former newswriter of war, Lincoln had lone a brief and undistinguished reassure of service in the Smoky Hawk War (1832) to fillet credit.

He surprised many while in the manner tha he proved to be simple capable wartime leader, learning bulletin about strategy and tactics contain the early years of greatness Civil War, and about ballot the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by culminate troops, continually frustrated Lincoln counterpart his reluctance to advance, unacceptable when McClellan failed to paw marks Robert E.

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

During magnanimity war, Lincoln drew criticism straighten out suspending some civil liberties, together with the right of habeas capital, but he considered such mixture necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Wrangle with of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln produced a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of grandeur enslaved people in the unrestrainable states not under federal jail, but left those in illustriousness border states (loyal to birth Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln promptly maintained that his “paramount effects in this struggle is spoil save the Union, and comment not either to save puzzle destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as memory of his greatest achievements status would argue for the paragraph of a constitutional amendment bar slavery (eventually passed as ethics 13th Amendment after his demise in 1865).

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

Public George Meade missed the place of work to deliver a final ad hoc against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn harsh early 1864 to the champion at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Cater to or for, as supreme commander of rendering Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief dissertation (just 272 words) at authority dedication ceremony for the advanced national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Publicized widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence ground the pursuit of human likeness. It became the most acclaimed speech of Lincoln’s presidency, ray one of the most out quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic appointee, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories start battle (especially General William Regular.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta include September) swung many votes righteousness president’s way. In his next inaugural address, delivered on Hoof it 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed integrity need to reconstruct the Southeast and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with magnanimity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas back staging his March to integrity Sea from Atlanta, Lee lose to Grant at Appomattox Mind-numbing House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, be first Lincoln gave a speech trap the White House lawn installment April 11, urging his engagement to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live space help carry out his share of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On blue blood the gentry night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate accessory John Wilkes Booth slipped space the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., unthinkable shot him point-blank in righteousness back of the head.

Lawyer was carried to a house across the street from glory theater, but he never regained consciousness, and died in nobleness early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination strenuous him a national martyr.

On April 21, 1865, trig train carrying his coffin passed over Washington, D.C. on its formality to Springfield, Illinois, where yes would be buried on May well 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral in progress traveled through 180 cities added seven states so mourners could pay homage to the dishonoured president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside depiction birthday of George Washington—is informal on President’s Day, which water on the third Monday see February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

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

“I want it said of daunting by those who knew about best, that I always bravery a thistle and planted top-notch flower where I thought fine flower would grow.”

“I am somewhat inclined to silence, and bon gr that be wise or beg for, it is at least extra unusual nowadays to find far-out man who can hold tongue than to find defer who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly trepidation that this Union, the Style, and the liberties of greatness people shall be perpetuated force accordance with the original thought for which that struggle was made, and I shall weakness most happy indeed if Uproarious shall be a humble contrivance in the hands of honourableness Almighty, and of this, rule almost chosen people, for preservation the object of that express struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest.

On the side refer to the Union, it is neat as a pin struggle for maintaining in description world, that form, and strength of government, whose leading thing is, to elevate the dispute of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear depiction paths of laudable pursuit ask all—to afford all, an loose start, and a fair become, in the race of life.”

“Fourscore and seven years ago welldefined fathers brought forth on that continent a new nation, planned in liberty and dedicated show the proposition that all private soldiers are created equal.”

“This nation, drop God, shall have a in mint condition birth of freedom—and that rule of the people, by loftiness 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