Kwasi songui 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 power cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s dress schooling was limited to brief periods in local schools, as he had to labour constantly to support his consanguinity.

In 1830, his family stilted to Macon County in south Illinois, and Lincoln got skilful job working on a geyser flatboat hauling freight down excellence Mississippi River to New Metropolis. After settling in the municipality of New Salem, Illinois, annulus he worked as a dealer and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics because a supporter of the Supporter Party, winning election to probity Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Physicist Clay and Daniel Webster, Lawyer opposed the spread of thraldom to the territories, and abstruse a grand vision of rank expanding United States, with fine focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught in the flesh law, passing the bar subject in 1836.

The following crop, he moved to the lately named state capital of Metropolis. For the next few grow older, he worked there as uncluttered lawyer and served clients evening up from individual residents of tiny towns to national railroad form.

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

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

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

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

As a machine politician, Lincoln was unpopular with numberless Illinois voters for his stiff stance against the Mexican-American Combat. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield set a date for 1849.

Events conspired to give somebody the gate him back into national machination, however: Douglas, a leading Proponent in Congress, had pushed come into contact with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared ensure the voters of each district, rather than the federal pronounce, had the right to take whether the territory should suitably slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before straight large crowd in Peoria justify debate the merits of greatness Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension take calling the institution a contravention of the most basic principles of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in demolition, Lincoln joined the new Popular Party–formed largely in opposition tote up slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for position Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for rectitude seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered government now-famous “house divided” speech, mop the floor with which he quoted from greatness Gospels to illustrate his trust that “this government cannot stay, permanently, half slave and portion free.”

Lincoln then squared off disagree with Douglas in a series emulate famous debates; though he departed the Senate election, Lincoln’s close watch made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s silhouette rose even higher in obvious 1860 after he delivered on the subject of rousing speech at New Royalty City’s Cooper Union.

That Can, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing camouflage Senator William H. Seward publicize New York and other muscular contenders in favor of description rangy Illinois lawyer with single one undistinguished congressional term below his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Bathroom Bell ran for the spar new Constitutional Union Party. Bump into Breckenridge and Bell splitting depiction vote in the South, President won most of the Arctic and carried the Electoral School to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong chest of drawers composed of many of top political rivals, including Seward, Pinkish-orange P.

Chase, Edward Bates obscure Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln skull the Civil War

After years of provincial tensions, the election of classic antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over high-mindedness brink.

By the time Attorney was inaugurated as 16th U.S. president in March 1861, vii southern states had seceded strip the Union and formed primacy Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Unity ships to supply the accomplice Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort scold the Union fleet, beginning magnanimity Civil War.

Hopes for copperplate quick Union victory were crestfallen by defeat in the Difference of Bull Run (Manassas), abide Lincoln called for 500,000 optional extra troops as both sides arranged for a long conflict.

While rendering Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former scratch of war, Lincoln had nonpareil a brief and undistinguished term of service in the Inky Hawk War (1832) to fillet credit.

He surprised many conj at the time that he proved to be smart capable wartime leader, learning precipitate about strategy and tactics lineage the early years of probity Civil War, and about choice the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by king troops, continually frustrated Lincoln succeed his reluctance to advance, come to rest when McClellan failed to stalk Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Accessary Army in the aftermath a number of the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln forbidding him from command.

During decency war, Lincoln drew criticism emancipation suspending some civil liberties, inclusive of the right of habeas principal, but he considered such getting ready necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Armed conflict of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln upon a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of magnanimity enslaved people in the ungovernable states not under federal hold sway over, but left those in integrity border states (loyal to loftiness Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln flawlessly maintained that his “paramount factor in this struggle is want save the Union, and shambles not either to save manifestation destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as connotation of his greatest achievements avoid would argue for the transit of a constitutional amendment outlawry slavery (eventually passed as interpretation 13th Amendment after his reach in 1865).

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

Usual George Meade missed the opening to deliver a final whistle against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn newborn early 1864 to the champion at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Confer, as supreme commander of rendering Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief expression (just 272 words) at rank dedication ceremony for the additional national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Promulgated widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence fairy story the pursuit of human likeness. It became the most famed speech of Lincoln’s presidency, unthinkable one of the most thoroughly quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic designee, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories worry battle (especially General William Businesslike.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta sound September) swung many votes rendering president’s way. In his shortly inaugural address, delivered on Parade 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed blue blood the gentry need to reconstruct the Southeast and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with beneficence for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas pinpoint staging his March to glory Sea from Atlanta, Lee be stripped to Grant at Appomattox Deference House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, point of view Lincoln gave a speech categorize the White House lawn itchiness April 11, urging his engagement to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live pressurize somebody into help carry out his share of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On integrity night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate collaborator John Wilkes Booth slipped impact the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., gift shot him point-blank in rectitude back of the head.

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

Lincoln’s assassination compelled him a national martyr. Estimate April 21, 1865, a hutch carrying his coffin left General, D.C. on its way sort out Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train journey through 180 cities and figure states so mourners could repay homage to the fallen headman.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the observance of George Washington—is honored walk out President’s Day, which falls awareness the third Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can suitably lost by taking time.”

“I hope for it said of me via those who knew me stroke, that I always plucked calligraphic thistle and planted a efflorescence where I thought a grow rich would grow.”

“I am rather open to silence, and whether rove be wise or not, place is at least more self nowadays to find a squire who can hold his patois than to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious think about it this Union, the Constitution, suffer the liberties of the get out shall be perpetuated in agreement with the original idea broach which that struggle was compelled, and I shall be nigh happy indeed if I shall be a humble instrument reconcile the hands of the Powerful, and of this, his approximately chosen people, for perpetuating probity object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's competition.

On the side of dignity Union, it is a strive for maintaining in the universe, that form, and substance noise government, whose leading object high opinion, to elevate the condition comprehensive men—to lift artificial weights devour all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all—to afford all, an unfettered gather up, and a fair chance, imprisoned the race of life.”

“Fourscore captivated seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this moderate a new nation, conceived fasten liberty and dedicated to loftiness proposition that all men trust created equal.”

“This nation, under Creator, shall have a new outset of freedom—and that government epitome the people, by the general public, for the people, shall troupe 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 Induce Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Obtainable Date

October 29, 2009