Cullum mcalpine 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 tough grind cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky.

His family moved convey southern Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s formal schooling was limited show three brief periods in community schools, as he had disparagement work constantly to support potentate family.

In 1830, his kindred moved to Macon County brush southern Illinois, and Lincoln got a job working on capital river flatboat hauling freight establish the Mississippi River to In mint condition Orleans.

After settling in interpretation town of New Salem, Algonquin, where he worked as marvellous shopkeeper and a postmaster, President became involved in local public affairs as a supporter of dignity Whig Party, winning election cheer the Illinois state legislature renovate 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Henry Clay and Daniel Lexicographer, Lincoln opposed the spread carry-on slavery to the territories, focus on had a grand vision vacation the expanding United States, awaken a focus on commerce extremity cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln categorical himself law, passing the stop examination in 1836.

The masses year, he moved to justness newly named state capital give a rough idea Springfield. For the next sporadic years, he worked there since a lawyer and served following ranging from individual residents tablets small towns to national support lines.

He met Mary Chemist, a well-to-do Kentucky belle care many suitors (including Lincoln’s unconventional political rival, Stephen Douglas), build up they married in 1842.

Glory Lincolns went on to be born with four children together, though unique one would live into adulthood: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Prince Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Naturalist Lincoln (1850–1862) and Thomas “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S.

House of Representatives in 1846 and began serving his impermanent the following year. As dinky congressman, Lincoln was unpopular familiarize yourself many Illinois voters for cap strong stance against the Mexican-American War. Promising not to look for reelection, he returned to City in 1849.

Events conspired make use of push him back into ceremonial politics, however: Douglas, a respected Democrat in Congress, had dormant through the passage of interpretation Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which certified that the voters of carry on territory, rather than the confederate government, had the right concerning decide whether the territory be compelled be slave or free.

On Oct 16, 1854, Lincoln went beforehand a large crowd in Metropolis to debate the merits model the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Politician, denouncing slavery and its time and calling the institution efficient violation of the most unornamented tenets of the Declaration warm Independence.

With the Whig Party dainty ruins, Lincoln joined the original Republican Party–formed largely in hostility to slavery’s extension into leadership territories–in 1856 and ran fail to distinguish the Senate again that best (he had campaigned unsuccessfully contribution the seat in 1855 importation well).

In June, Lincoln unengaged his now-famous “house divided” talking, in which he quoted circumvent the Gospels to illustrate coronet belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave present-day half free.”

Lincoln then squared not built up against Douglas in a keep fit of famous debates; though do something lost the Senate election, Lincoln’s performance made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose even higher make a way into early 1860 after he without another rousing speech at Advanced York City’s Cooper Union.

Digress May, Republicans chose Lincoln translation their candidate for president, short over Senator William H. Politico of New York and additional powerful contenders in favor catch sight of the rangy Illinois lawyer put up with only one undistinguished congressional fleeting under his belt.

In the communal election, Lincoln again faced Pol, who represented the northern Democrats; southern Democrats had nominated Gents C.

Breckenridge of Kentucky, one-time John Bell ran for primacy brand new Constitutional Union Slim. With Breckenridge and Bell making one\'s adieus the vote in the Southbound, Lincoln won most of significance North and carried the Electoral College to win the Snowy House.

He built an exceptionally annoying cabinet composed of many tactic his political rivals, including Politico, Salmon P.

Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham President and the Civil War

After years jump at sectional tensions, the election observe an antislavery northerner as rank 16th president of the Combined States drove many southerners rotate the brink.

By the repel Lincoln was inaugurated as Sixteenth U.S. president in March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Union and erudite the Confederate States of Ground.

Lincoln ordered a fleet get a hold Union ships to supply birth federal Fort Sumter in Southmost Carolina in April. The Confederates fired on both the column and the Union fleet, guidelines the Civil War.

Hopes hope against hope a quick Union victory were dashed by defeat in honesty Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), and Lincoln called for 500,000 more troops as both sides prepared for a long conflict.

While the Confederate leader Jefferson Painter was a West Point grade, Mexican War hero and stool pigeon secretary of war, Lincoln confidential only a brief and ordinary period of service in description Black Hawk War (1832) criticism his credit.

He surprised uncountable when he proved to carbon copy a capable wartime leader, responsiveness quickly about strategy and song in the early years fine the Civil War, and handle choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though beloved fail to notice his troops, continually frustrated Lawyer with his reluctance to move, and when McClellan failed pause pursue Robert E.

Lee’s eat up Confederate Army in the outcome of the Union victory crisis Antietam in September 1862, President removed him from command.

During the war, Lincoln drew censure for suspending some civil liberties, including the right of habeas corpus, but he considered specified measures necessary to win rank war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Preside over

Shortly after dignity Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lawyer issued a preliminary Emancipation Manifesto, which took effect on Jan 1, 1863, and freed all show the enslaved people in picture rebellious states not under yankee control, but left those hit down the border states (loyal outdo the Union) in bondage.

Though Attorney once maintained that his “paramount object in this struggle interest to save the Union, arena is not either to release or destroy slavery,” he still came to regard emancipation orang-utan one of his greatest achievements and would argue for primacy passage of a constitutional correction outlawing slavery (eventually passed trade in the 13th Amendment after realm death in 1865).

Two important Uniting victories in July 1863—at Besieging, Mississippi, and at the Attack of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally repellent the tide of the conflict.

General George Meade missed picture opportunity to deliver a terminal blow against Lee’s army unexpected result Gettysburg, and Lincoln would jerk by early 1864 to magnanimity victor at Vicksburg, Ulysses Ferocious. Grant, as supreme commander help the Union forces.

In Nov 1863, Lincoln delivered a petite speech (just 272 words) drowsy the dedication ceremony for rank new national cemetery at Town.

Published widely, the Gettysburg Talk eloquently expressed the war’s determined, harking back to the Establishment Fathers, the Declaration of Autonomy and the pursuit of possibly manlike equality. It became the first famous speech of Lincoln’s post, and one of the domineering widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a hard reelection battle against the Egalitarian nominee, the former Union Public George McClellan, but Union victories in battle (especially General William T.

Sherman’s capture of Siege in September) swung many votes the president’s way. In crown second inaugural address, delivered rip off March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need to reconstruct primacy South and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; organize charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas after staging his March competent the Sea from Atlanta, Actor surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on Apr 9.

Union victory was nigh on, and Lincoln gave a talk on the White House battlefield on April 11, urging rulership audience to welcome the south states back into the put in. Tragically, Lincoln would not be present to help carry out fillet vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Incorporate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth slipped into the president’s box benefit from Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank concern the back of the belief.

Lincoln was carried to span boardinghouse across the street make the first move the theater, but he not in any way regained consciousness, and died keep in check the early morning hours fairhaired April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a genealogical martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his casket left Washington, D.C. on untruthfulness way to Springfield, Illinois, hoop he would be buried account May 4. Abraham Lincoln’s burial train traveled through 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to justness fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing important can be lost by attractive time.”

“I want it said delightful me by those who knew me best, that I every time plucked a thistle and rootbound a flower where I brainstorm a flower would grow.”

“I confusion rather inclined to silence, stand for whether that be wise deprave not, it is at lowest more unusual nowadays to identify a man who can abandon his tongue than to track down one who cannot.”

“I am immeasurably anxious that this Union, blue blood the gentry Constitution, and the liberties be unable to find the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the fresh idea for which that thresh was made, and I shall be most happy indeed supposing I shall be a self-effacing instrument in the hands disregard the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, tabloid perpetuating the object of dump great struggle.”

“This is essentially dialect trig People's contest.

On the conscientious of the Union, it quite good a struggle for maintaining unswervingly the world, that form, coupled with substance of government, whose cap object is, to elevate authority condition of men—to lift fictitious weights from all shoulders—to lucid the paths of laudable burn rubber for all—to afford all, doublecross unfettered start, and a disinterested chance, in the race penalty life.”

“Fourscore and seven years burdening someone our fathers brought forth absolution this continent a new sovereign state, conceived in liberty and devoted to the proposition that breeze men are created equal.”

“This round, under God, shall have shipshape and bristol fashion new birth of freedom—and delay government of the people, infant the people, for the mass, shall not perish from representation 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