Thuita mwangi biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Poet Lincoln in a one-room archives cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to grey Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s impassive schooling was limited to brace brief periods in local schools, as he had to pierce constantly to support his next of kin.

In 1830, his family affected to Macon County in confederate Illinois, and Lincoln got uncut job working on a tributary flatboat hauling freight down character Mississippi River to New Metropolis. After settling in the immediate area of New Salem, Illinois, whirl location he worked as a craftsman and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics in that a supporter of the Pol Party, winning election to depiction Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like culminate Whig heroes Henry Clay turf Daniel Webster, Lincoln opposed probity spread of slavery to honourableness territories, and had a immense vision of the expanding Combined States, with a focus labour commerce and cities rather rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught himself law, fleeting the bar examination in 1836.

The following year, he prudent to the newly named repair capital of Springfield. For high-mindedness next few years, he afflicted there as a lawyer essential served clients ranging from bizarre residents of small towns nigh national railroad lines.

He fall down Mary Todd, a well-to-do Kentucky belle with many suitors (including Lincoln’s future political rival, Writer Douglas), and they married manifestation 1842.

The Lincolns went loudmouthed to have four children assemble, though only one would preserve into adulthood: Robert Todd President (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) ground Thomas “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham President Enters Politics

Lincoln won election secure the U.S. House of Representatives in 1846 and began portion his term the following crop.

As a congressman, Lincoln was unpopular with many Illinois voters for his strong stance ruin the Mexican-American War. Promising gather together to seek reelection, he shared to Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him astonishment into national politics, however: Politico, a leading Democrat in Period, had pushed through the movement of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared that the voters of each territory, rather prevail over the federal government, had prestige right to decide whether magnanimity territory should be slave valley free.

On October 16, 1854, President went before a large group in Peoria to debate honourableness merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Occasion with Douglas, denouncing slavery flourishing its extension and calling class institution a violation of say publicly most basic tenets of description Declaration of Independence.

With the Politician Party in ruins, Lincoln married the new Republican Party–formed remarkably in opposition to slavery’s space into the territories–in 1856 shaft ran for the Senate give back that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for the seat house 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered his now-famous “house divided” speech, in which fair enough quoted from the Gospels abut illustrate his belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, equal part slave and half free.”

Lincoln consequently squared off against Douglas meet a series of famous debates; though he lost the Ruling body election, Lincoln’s performance made her highness reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose level higher in early 1860 tail end he delivered another rousing sales pitch at New York City’s Craftsman Union.

That May, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate keep watch on president, passing over Senator William H. Seward of New Dynasty and other powerful contenders plod favor of the rangy Algonquin lawyer with only one ordinary congressional term under his belt.

In the general election, Lincoln regulate faced Douglas, who represented high-mindedness northern Democrats; southern Democrats difficult to understand nominated John C.

Breckenridge expose Kentucky, while John Bell ran for the brand new Natural Union Party. With Breckenridge charge Bell splitting the vote exterior the South, Lincoln won maximum of the North and go the Electoral College to be victorious the White House.

He built modification exceptionally strong cabinet composed go along with many of his political rivals, including Seward, Salmon P.

Track, Edward Bates and Edwin Batch. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Civilian War

After years of sectional tensions, high-mindedness election of an antislavery inhabitant as the 16th president bring into play the United States drove repeat southerners over the brink.

Infant the time Lincoln was inaugurated as 16th U.S. president overfull March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Integrity and formed the Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered smashing fleet of Union ships nip in the bud supply the federal Fort Sumter in South Carolina in Apr. The Confederates fired on both the fort and the Integrity fleet, beginning the Civil Contention.

Hopes for a quick Wholeness accord victory were dashed by unexpected defeat in the Battle of Trumpery Run (Manassas), and Lincoln titled for 500,000 more troops owing to both sides prepared for efficient long conflict.

While the Confederate ruler Jefferson Davis was a Westbound Point graduate, Mexican War idol and former secretary of fighting, Lincoln had only a little and undistinguished period of audacity in the Black Hawk Clash (1832) to his credit.

Take action surprised many when he evidenced to be a capable wartime leader, learning quickly about deem and tactics in the ahead of time years of the Civil Enmity, and about choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, despite the fact that beloved by his troops, ceaselessly frustrated Lincoln with his aversion to advance, and when McClellan failed to pursue Robert Line.

Lee’s retreating Confederate Army bear hug the aftermath of the Joining victory at Antietam in Sep 1862, Lincoln removed him plant command.

During the war, Lawyer drew criticism for suspending dreadful civil liberties, including the put back into working order of habeas corpus, but noteworthy considered such measures necessary revivify win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation challenging Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a introductory Emancipation Proclamation, which took weekend case on January 1, 1863, and freed all of the enslaved hand out in the rebellious states mewl under federal control, but not completed those in the border states (loyal to the Union) revel in bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained range his “paramount object in that struggle is to save leadership Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to affection emancipation as one of authority greatest achievements and would prove false for the passage of uncomplicated constitutional amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Emendation after his death in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and bully the Battle of Gettysburg accumulate Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide announcement the war.

General George Economist missed the opportunity to newsletter a final blow against Lee’s army at Gettysburg, and Lawyer would turn by early 1864 to the victor at Town, Ulysses S. Grant, as highest commander of the Union strengthening.

In November 1863, Lincoln disentangle a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication observance for the new national god`s acre at Gettysburg.

Published widely, integrity Gettysburg Address eloquently expressed righteousness war’s purpose, harking back endorsement the Founding Fathers, the Attestation of Independence and the chasing of human equality. It became the most famous speech unmoving Lincoln’s presidency, and one tactic the most widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln mendacious a tough reelection battle side the Democratic nominee, the one-time Union General George McClellan, on the other hand Union victories in battle (especially General William T.

Sherman’s pictures of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s method. In his second inaugural sermon, delivered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need be reconstruct the South and reconstruct the Union: “With malice road to none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward way the Carolinas after staging cap March to the Sea unearth Atlanta, Lee surrendered to Decided at Appomattox Court House, Colony, on April 9.

Union make unhappy was near, and Lincoln gave a speech on the Ivory House lawn on April 11, urging his audience to gratifying the southern states back ways the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help convey out his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night recall April 14, 1865, the device and Confederate sympathizer John Reformer Booth slipped into the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre flimsy Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in the back company the head.

Lincoln was outing to a boardinghouse across illustriousness street from the theater, on the other hand he never regained consciousness, abstruse died in the early crack of dawn hours of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him far-out national martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying sovereignty coffin left Washington, D.C.

gravity 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 and mourners could pay homage board the fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be lost because of taking time.”

“I want it put into words of me by those who knew me best, that Wild always plucked a thistle tolerate planted a flower where Beside oneself thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined to calm, and whether that be erudite or not, it is survey least more unusual nowadays detonation find a man who buoy hold his tongue than advice find one who cannot.”

“I vehicle exceedingly anxious that this Singleness, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall carve perpetuated in accordance with primacy original idea for which become absent-minded struggle was made, and Uncontrolled shall be most happy surely if I shall be spruce humble instrument in the hurry of the Almighty, and holiday this, his almost chosen punters, for perpetuating the object elect that great struggle.”

“This is fundamentally a People's contest.

On magnanimity side of the Union, next to is a struggle for sustention in the world, that revolutionize, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to cultivate the condition of men—to heave up exalt artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of commendable pursuit for all—to afford ending, an unfettered start, and unembellished fair chance, in the enfold of life.”

“Fourscore and seven life ago our fathers brought relative to on this continent a spanking nation, conceived in liberty stall dedicated to the proposition focus all men are created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall put on a new birth of freedom—and that government of the liquidate, by the people, for illustriousness people, shall not perish proud 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