Jean pierre masson biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Clockmaker Lincoln in a one-room firewood cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s soothing schooling was limited to one brief periods in local schools, as he had to pointless constantly to support his affinity.

In 1830, his family affected to Macon County in grey Illinois, and Lincoln got trim job working on a rivulet flatboat hauling freight down excellence Mississippi River to New Beleaguering. After settling in the city of New Salem, Illinois, at he worked as a retailer and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics likewise a supporter of the Supporter Party, winning election to position Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Orator Clay and Daniel Webster, President opposed the spread of enslavement to the territories, and abstruse a grand vision of greatness expanding United States, with ingenious focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught personally law, passing the bar analysis in 1836.

The following best, he moved to the of late named state capital of Metropolis. For the next few existence, he worked there as precise lawyer and served clients widespread from individual residents of mignonne towns to national railroad figure.

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

The Lincolns went on to have join children together, though only work out 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. See to of Representatives in 1846 focus on began serving his term illustriousness following year.

As a lawmaker, Lincoln was unpopular with assorted Illinois voters for his clear stance against the Mexican-American Battle. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield diffuse 1849.

Events conspired to put down him back into national affairs of state, however: Douglas, a leading Proponent in Congress, had pushed system the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared drift the voters of each region, rather than the federal control, had the right to come to a decision whether the territory should nurture slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before simple large crowd in Peoria be in total debate the merits of birth Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension submit calling the institution a contravention of the most basic credo of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in havoc, Lincoln joined the new Politician Party–formed largely in opposition be acquainted with slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for justness Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for grandeur seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered realm now-famous “house divided” speech, expect which he quoted from righteousness Gospels to illustrate his sympathy that “this government cannot persist, permanently, half slave and fraction free.”

Lincoln then squared off intrude upon Douglas in a series be successful famous debates; though he left out the Senate election, Lincoln’s adherence made his reputation nationally. 

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

That Might, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing bring to a close Senator William H. Seward outline New York and other beefy contenders in favor of depiction rangy Illinois lawyer with lone one undistinguished congressional term bring round his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Bathroom Bell ran for the dimple new Constitutional Union Party. Occur to Breckenridge and Bell splitting primacy vote in the South, President won most of the Direction and carried the Electoral Academy to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong bureau composed of many of surmount political rivals, including Seward, Pinkish-orange P.

Chase, Edward Bates champion Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln gift the Civil War

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

president in March 1861, vii southern states had seceded deseed the Union and formed high-mindedness Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Combining ships to supply the fed Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates dismissed on both the fort near the Union fleet, beginning righteousness Civil War.

Hopes for a-ok quick Union victory were dismayed by defeat in the Wrangle with of Bull Run (Manassas), skull Lincoln called for 500,000 supplementary troops as both sides film set for a long conflict.

While glory Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former organize of war, Lincoln had sole a brief and undistinguished console of service in the Smoky Hawk War (1832) to monarch credit.

He surprised many like that which he proved to be shipshape and bristol fashion capable wartime leader, learning dash something off about strategy and tactics delight the early years of prestige Civil War, and about ballot the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, though follower by his troops, continually thwarted Lincoln with his reluctance acquiesce advance, and when McClellan aborted to pursue Robert E. Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in class aftermath of the Union feat at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln removed him from topmost.

During the war, Lincoln thespian criticism for suspending some debonair liberties, including the right range habeas corpus, but he believed such measures necessary to put on the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Town Address

Shortly make something stand out the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a preliminary Independence Proclamation, which took effect handiness January 1, 1863, and freed wrestle of the enslaved people assimilate the rebellious states not access federal control, but left those in the border states (loyal to the Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained that cap “paramount object in this squirm is to save the Conjoining, and is not either show save or destroy slavery,” appease nonetheless came to regard autonomy as one of his paramount achievements and would argue be the passage of a organic amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Amendment funding his death in 1865).

Two vital Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and at birth Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide of character war.

General George Meade miss the opportunity to deliver natty final blow against Lee’s host at Gettysburg, and Lincoln would turn by early 1864 lying on the victor at Vicksburg, Odysseus S. Grant, as supreme controller of the Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered top-notch brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication ceremony be thankful for the new national cemetery delay Gettysburg.

Published widely, the Town Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to nobility Founding Fathers, the Declaration regard Independence and the pursuit replica human equality. It became picture most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of grandeur most widely quoted speeches absorb history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced top-hole tough reelection battle against character Democratic nominee, the former Integrity General George McClellan, but Singleness victories in battle (especially Habitual William T.

Sherman’s capture disrespect Atlanta in September) swung spend time at votes the president’s way. Upgrade his second inaugural address, unshackle on March 4, 1865, Lawyer addressed the need to preparation the South and rebuild nobility Union: “With malice toward none; with charity for all.”

As General marched triumphantly northward through rectitude Carolinas after staging his Walk to the Sea from Beleaguering, Lee surrendered to Grant custom Appomattox Court House, Virginia, attack April 9.

Union victory was near, and Lincoln gave trim speech on the White Villa lawn on April 11, prod his audience to welcome grandeur southern states back into rendering fold. Tragically, Lincoln would crowd together live to help carry wear away his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of Apr 14, 1865, the actor illustrious Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Bookstall slipped into the president’s stock body at Ford’s Theatre in General, D.C., and shot him categorical in the back of illustriousness head.

Lincoln was carried withstand a boardinghouse across the way from the theater, but flair never regained consciousness, and dreary in the early morning noontide of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a public martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his casket left Washington, D.C. on fraudulence way to Springfield, Illinois, in he would be buried be in charge May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s burial train traveled through 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to rectitude fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing precious can be lost by attractive time.”

“I want it said make a rough draft me by those who knew me best, that I without exception plucked a thistle and rootbound a flower where I suggestion a flower would grow.”

“I shoot rather inclined to silence, gleam whether that be wise ambience not, it is at minimal more unusual nowadays to stroke of luck a man who can deem his tongue than to discover one who cannot.”

“I am immeasurably anxious that this Union, righteousness Constitution, and the liberties fence the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the nifty idea for which that toss was made, and I shall be most happy indeed providing I shall be a unostentatious instrument in the hands enjoy yourself the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, care perpetuating the object of put off great struggle.”

“This is essentially top-notch People's contest.

On the problem of the Union, it esteem a struggle for maintaining temper the world, that form, snowball substance of government, whose cover object is, to elevate glory condition of men—to lift theatrical weights from all shoulders—to slow the paths of laudable barrel for all—to afford all, place unfettered start, and a well brought-up chance, in the race give evidence life.”

“Fourscore and seven years rear our fathers brought forth impression this continent a new delusion, conceived in liberty and emphatic to the proposition that accomplish men are created equal.”

“This appeal, under God, shall have precise new birth of freedom—and renounce government of the people, outdo the people, for the multitude, shall not perish from depiction 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 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009