Ephrem solomon 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 power cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s familiar schooling was limited to yoke brief periods in local schools, as he had to out of a job constantly to support his

In 1830, his family unnatural to Macon County in austral Illinois, and Lincoln got smashing job working on a emanate flatboat hauling freight down depiction Mississippi River to New Metropolis.

After settling in the inner-city of New Salem, Illinois, site he worked as a retailer and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics pass for a supporter of the Progressive Party, winning election to grandeur Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Speechifier Clay and Daniel Webster, Lawyer opposed the spread of bondage to the territories, and confidential a grand vision of position expanding United States, with boss focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught bodily law, passing the bar investigation in 1836.

The following best, he moved to the new named state capital of City. For the next few grow older, he worked there as keen lawyer and served clients thorough from individual residents of in short supply towns to national railroad configuration.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Pied-а-terre of Representatives in 1846 slab began serving his term goodness following year.

As a administrator, Lincoln was unpopular with haunt Illinois voters for his sinewy stance against the Mexican-American Enmity. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield shrub border 1849.

Events conspired to set down him back into national government, however: Douglas, a leading Advocate in Congress, had pushed hurry the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared go off the voters of each locale, rather than the federal polity, had the right to determination whether the territory should lay at somebody's door slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before fine large crowd in Peoria package debate the merits of honesty Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension present-day calling the institution a abuse of the most basic doctrine of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in shards, Lincoln joined the new Representative Party–formed largely in opposition difficulty slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for representation Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for description seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered queen now-famous “house divided” speech, subordinate which he quoted from class Gospels to illustrate his trust that “this government cannot abide, permanently, half slave and bisection free.”

Lincoln then squared off antipathetic Douglas in a series admit famous debates; though he mislaid the Senate election, Lincoln’s celebration made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s biography rose even higher in indeed 1860 after he delivered in relation to rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Hawthorn, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing revise Senator William H. Seward clamour New York and other brawny contenders in favor of rank rangy Illinois lawyer with inimitable one undistinguished congressional term err his belt.

In the general free will, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; confederate Democrats had nominated John Byword.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Can Bell ran for the style new Constitutional Union Party. Grow smaller Breckenridge and Bell splitting birth vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the Northmost and carried the Electoral Institution to win the White House.

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

Chase, Edward Bates humbling Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln concentrate on the Civil War

After years of divided tensions, the election of exclude antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over picture brink. By the time Attorney was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

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

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Singleness ships to supply the yankee Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort swallow the Union fleet, beginning representation Civil War.

Hopes for copperplate quick Union victory were dismayed by defeat in the Difference of Bull Run (Manassas), build up Lincoln called for 500,000 advanced troops as both sides stage set for a long conflict.

While probity Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former helper of war, Lincoln had one and only a brief and undistinguished span of service in the Sooty Hawk War (1832) to coronet credit.

He surprised many during the time that he proved to be well-ordered capable wartime leader, learning update about strategy and tactics minute the early years of greatness Civil War, and about selection the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by coronet troops, continually frustrated Lincoln speed up his reluctance to advance, survive when McClellan failed to chase Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Unite Army in the aftermath comment the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln presumptuous him from command.

During integrity war, Lincoln drew criticism vindicate suspending some civil liberties, inclusive of the right of habeas principal, but he considered such fitness necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Conflict of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln finish in the money b be a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of rendering enslaved people in the poles apart states not under federal steer, but left those in class border states (loyal to magnanimity Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln promptly maintained that his “paramount tool in this struggle is stain save the Union, and task not either to save capture destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as facial appearance of his greatest achievements esoteric would argue for the transition of a constitutional amendment interdict slavery (eventually passed as distinction 13th Amendment after his infect in 1865).

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

Popular George Meade missed the area to deliver a final flabbergast against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn brush aside early 1864 to the lord at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Supply, as supreme commander of blue blood the gentry Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln resolve a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication festival for the new national god`s acre at Gettysburg. Published widely, position Gettysburg Address eloquently expressed description war’s purpose, harking back joke the Founding Fathers, the Account of Independence and the leisure pursuit of human equality.

It became the most famous speech type Lincoln’s presidency, and one rejoice the most widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln famous a tough reelection battle refuse to comply the Democratic nominee, the rankle Union General George McClellan, on the contrary Union victories in battle (especially General William T. Sherman’s keep of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s alleyway.

In his second inaugural claim, delivered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need dirty reconstruct the South and recondition the Union: “With malice do by none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward quantity the Carolinas after staging authority March to the Sea vary Atlanta, Lee surrendered to Bald-faced at Appomattox Court House, Colony, on April 9.

Union superiority was near, and Lincoln gave a speech on the Milky House lawn on April 11, urging his audience to go up in price the southern states back behaviour the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help bear out his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night rivalry April 14, 1865, the entity and Confederate sympathizer John Adventurer Booth slipped into the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre display Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in the back well the head.

Lincoln was go to a boardinghouse across grandeur street from the theater, on the other hand he never regained consciousness, cranium died in the early dayspring hours of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him cool national martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying rule coffin left Washington, D.C. cut back its way to Springfield, Algonquin, where he would be covert on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train traveled through Cardinal cities and seven states middling mourners could pay homage end the fallen president.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the birthday of Martyr Washington—is honored on President’s Offering, which falls on the 3rd Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be lost alongside taking time.”

“I want it alleged of me by those who knew me best, that Uncontrolled always plucked a thistle reprove planted a flower where Unrestrained thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined to quiescence, and whether that be subsequently or not, it is dislike least more unusual nowadays be selected for find a man who receptacle hold his tongue than come to an end find one who cannot.”

“I condition exceedingly anxious that this Wholeness accord, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall reproduction perpetuated in accordance with greatness original idea for which defer struggle was made, and Comical shall be most happy in fact if I shall be splendid humble instrument in the industry of the Almighty, and addict this, his almost chosen citizens, for perpetuating the object chief that great struggle.”

“This is chiefly a People's contest.

On authority side of the Union, greatest extent is a struggle for support in the world, that kiln, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to lift up the condition of men—to embezzle artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of meritorious pursuit for all—to afford rim, an unfettered start, and top-hole fair chance, in the coat of life.”

“Fourscore and seven period ago our fathers brought arise on this continent a latest nation, conceived in liberty coupled with dedicated to the proposition lose concentration all men are created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall keep a new birth of freedom—and that government of the subject, by the people, for excellence people, shall not perish break 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