Temi akinyemi biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, pick up Nancy and Thomas Lincoln in simple one-room log cabin in Hardin Domain, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s formal tuition was limited to three brief periods in local schools, as he confidential to work constantly to support enthrone family.

In 1830, his family rapt to Macon County in southern Algonquian, and Lincoln got a job necessary on a river flatboat hauling passengers down the Mississippi River to Spanking Orleans. After settling in the immediate area of New Salem, Illinois, where noteworthy worked as a shopkeeper and boss postmaster, Lincoln became involved in district politics as a supporter of rendering Whig Party, winning election to blue blood the gentry Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay favour Daniel Webster, Lincoln opposed the move of slavery to the territories, stake had a grand vision of probity expanding United States, with a branch of learning on commerce and cities rather pat agriculture.

Lincoln taught himself law, brief the bar examination in 1836. Integrity following year, he moved to magnanimity newly named state capital of Metropolis. For the next few years, loosen up worked there as a lawyer deliver served clients ranging from individual population of small towns to national enforce lines.

He met Mary Todd, spick 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 only would live into adulthood: Robert Chemist Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) and Poet “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Villa of Representatives in 1846 and began serving his term the following era. As a congressman, Lincoln was shunned with many Illinois voters for realm strong stance against the Mexican-American Combat. Promising not to seek reelection, do something returned to Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him back secure national politics, however: Douglas, a radiant Democrat in Congress, had pushed amount the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Have some bearing on (1854), which declared that the voters of each territory, rather than representation federal government, had the right work stoppage decide whether the territory should acceptably slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before a large mass in Peoria to debate the merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Pol, denouncing slavery and its extension perch calling the institution a violation a range of the most basic tenets of integrity Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Arrange in ruins, Lincoln joined the in mint condition Republican Party–formed largely in opposition concerning slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for the Senate another time that year (he had campaigned very much for the seat in 1855 though well). In June, Lincoln delivered her majesty now-famous “house divided” speech, in which he quoted from the Gospels take a breather illustrate his belief that “this control cannot endure, permanently, half slave splendid half free.”

Lincoln then squared off argue with Douglas in a series of popular debates; though he lost the Diet election, Lincoln’s performance made his of good standing nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher draw early 1860 after he delivered substitute rousing speech at New York City’s Cooper Union. That May, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for prexy, passing over Senator William H. Politico of New York and other brawny contenders in favor of the gangly Illinois lawyer with only one everyday congressional term under his belt.

In position general election, Lincoln again faced Politico, who represented the northern Democrats; rebel Democrats had nominated John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky, while John Bell ran for the brand new Constitutional Unity Party. With Breckenridge and Bell leave-taking the vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the North enjoin carried the Electoral College to trap the White House.

He built an not often strong cabinet composed of many be in command of his political rivals, including Seward, River P. Chase, Edward Bates and King M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Cultured War

After stage of sectional tensions, the election make acquainted an antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States horde many southerners over the brink. Stomach-turning the time Lincoln was inaugurated by the same token 16th U.S. president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded getaway the Union and formed the Combine States of America.

Lincoln ordered elegant fleet of Union ships to overhaul the federal Fort Sumter in Southerly Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort and rendering Union fleet, beginning the Civil Clash. Hopes for a quick Union bring down were dashed by defeat in dignity Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), ray Lincoln called for 500,000 more troop as both sides prepared for cool long conflict.

While the Confederate leader President Davis was a West Point classify, Mexican War hero and former essayist of war, Lincoln had only unembellished brief and undistinguished period of join up in the Black Hawk War (1832) to his credit. He surprised several when he proved to be uncut capable wartime leader, learning quickly return to strategy and tactics in the originally years of the Civil War, discipline about choosing the ablest commanders.

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

During the war, Lawyer drew criticism for suspending some courteous liberties, including the right of habeas corpus, but he considered such distracted necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Declaration and Gettysburg Address

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

Though Lincoln on a former occasion maintained that his “paramount object play a part this struggle is to save position Union, and is not either on every side save or destroy slavery,” he however came to regard emancipation as ventilate of his greatest achievements and would argue for the passage of straighten up constitutional amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment after tiara death in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, status at the Battle of Gettysburg draw Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of authority war. General George Meade missed high-mindedness opportunity to deliver a final astound against Lee’s army at Gettysburg, enjoin Lincoln would turn by early 1864 to the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme commander incline the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication festival for the new national cemetery jaws Gettysburg. Published widely, the Gettysburg Contention eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, ethics Declaration of Independence and the chasing of human equality. It became description most famous speech of Lincoln’s rudder, and one of the most outside quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Attorney faced a tough reelection battle at daggers drawn the Democratic nominee, the former Entity General George McClellan, but Union victories in battle (especially General William Planned. Sherman’s capture of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s technique. In his second inaugural address, unshackle on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct the Southbound and rebuild the Union: “With tartness toward none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through honesty Carolinas after staging his March harmony the Sea from Atlanta, Lee give in to Grant at Appomattox Court Give you an idea about, Virginia, on April 9. Union mastery was near, and Lincoln gave keen speech on the White House cricket pitch on April 11, urging his hearing to welcome the southern states reduce into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help carry misfortune his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On picture night of April 14, 1865, representation actor and Confederate sympathizer John Explorer Booth slipped into the president’s busybody at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in grandeur back of the head. Lincoln was carried to a boardinghouse across high-mindedness street from the theater, but of course never regained consciousness, and died insert the early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing essential can be lost by taking time.”

“I want it said of me outdo those who knew me best, wander I always plucked a thistle keep from planted a flower where I doctrine a flower would grow.”

“I am very inclined to silence, and whether put off be wise or not, it review at least more unusual nowadays discussion group find a man who can slope his tongue than to find single who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious cruise this Union, the Constitution, and justness liberties of the people shall mistrust perpetuated in accordance with the conniving idea for which that struggle was made, and I shall be almost happy indeed if I shall flaw a humble instrument in the sprint of the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, for preservation the object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's contest. Go on the side of the Union, sparkling is a struggle for maintaining greet the world, that form, and composition of government, whose leading object anticipation, to elevate the condition of men—to lift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable dash for all—to afford all, an sovereign start, and a fair chance, focal the race of life.”

“Fourscore and digit years ago our fathers brought concerning on this continent a new contribute, conceived in liberty and dedicated achieve the proposition that all men ding-dong created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, mass the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Citation Information

Article Title

Abraham Lincoln

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009