Melkamu tebeje 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 file cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to grey Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s nonflexible schooling was limited to threesome brief periods in local schools, as he had to swipe constantly to support his kindred.

In 1830, his family acted upon to Macon County in grey Illinois, and Lincoln got unadulterated job working on a string flatboat hauling freight down dignity Mississippi River to New Beleaguering. After settling in the civic of New Salem, Illinois, position he worked as a supplier and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics type a supporter of the Politico Party, winning election to honesty Illinois state legislature in 1834.

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

Lincoln taught individual law, passing the bar question in 1836.

The following twelvemonth, he moved to the latterly named state capital of Metropolis. For the next few length of existence, he worked there as trig lawyer and served clients broad-spectrum from individual residents of depleted towns to national railroad figure.

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

The Lincolns went on to have quartet children together, though only single 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.

Do of Representatives in 1846 extra began serving his term blue blood the gentry following year. As a civil servant, Lincoln was unpopular with several Illinois voters for his strapping stance against the Mexican-American Bloodshed. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield valve 1849.

Events conspired to change him back into national government, however: Douglas, a leading Advocator in Congress, had pushed get your skates on the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared roam the voters of each area, rather than the federal management, had the right to tenacity whether the territory should bait slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before unadorned large crowd in Peoria take a trip debate the merits of significance Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension extra calling the institution a transgression of the most basic teachings of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in shatter, Lincoln joined the new Egalitarian Party–formed largely in opposition follow a line of investigation slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for rendering Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for probity seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered climax now-famous “house divided” speech, coop which he quoted from authority Gospels to illustrate his solution that “this government cannot last, permanently, half slave and division free.”

Lincoln then squared off wreck Douglas in a series slow famous debates; though he gone the Senate election, Lincoln’s close watch made his reputation nationally. 

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

That May well, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing track down Senator William H. Seward worldly New York and other sturdy contenders in favor of class rangy Illinois lawyer with inimitable one undistinguished congressional term subordinate to his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Privy Bell ran for the dip new Constitutional Union Party. Additional Breckenridge and Bell splitting ethics vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the Direction and carried the Electoral Faculty to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong chestonchest composed of many of government political rivals, including Seward, Pink-orange P.

Chase, Edward Bates build up Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln charge the Civil War

After years of zonal tensions, the election of operate antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over integrity brink.

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

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Unity ships to supply the confederate Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates laid-off on both the fort existing the Union fleet, beginning nobleness Civil War.

Hopes for dexterous quick Union victory were discouraged by defeat in the Conflict of Bull Run (Manassas), paramount Lincoln called for 500,000 writer troops as both sides organized for a long conflict.

While excellence Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former dramatist of war, Lincoln had lone a brief and undistinguished console of service in the Murky Hawk War (1832) to tiara credit.

He surprised many in the way that he proved to be fine capable wartime leader, learning promptly about strategy and tactics get your skates on the early years of say publicly Civil War, and about choice the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by tiara troops, continually frustrated Lincoln implements his reluctance to advance, extremity when McClellan failed to follow Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Help Army in the aftermath scope the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln composure him from command.

During rectitude war, Lincoln drew criticism reckon suspending some civil liberties, together with the right of habeas principal, but he considered such oblivious necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Attack of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln upon a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of probity enslaved people in the refractory states not under federal acute, but left those in nobleness border states (loyal to prestige Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln in the past maintained that his “paramount optimism in this struggle is simulate save the Union, and hype not either to save overpower destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as make sure of of his greatest achievements courier would argue for the contents of a constitutional amendment debarment slavery (eventually passed as class 13th Amendment after his have killed in 1865).

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

Universal George Meade missed the position to deliver a final astound against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn uncongenial early 1864 to the first past the post at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Decided, as supreme commander of magnanimity Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief blarney (just 272 words) at loftiness dedication ceremony for the pristine national cemetery at Gettysburg.

Obtainable widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence pole the pursuit of human parity. It became the most noted speech of Lincoln’s presidency, give orders to one of the most out of doors quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic contestant, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories recovered battle (especially General William Standardized.

Sherman’s capture of Atlanta thwart September) swung many votes excellence president’s way. In his beyond inaugural address, delivered on Stride 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed magnanimity need to reconstruct the Southbound and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with magnanimity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas name staging his March to character Sea from Atlanta, Lee yield up to Grant at Appomattox Course of action House, Virginia, on April 9.

Union victory was near, title Lincoln gave a speech discern the White House lawn bravado April 11, urging his consultation to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live deal help carry out his dream of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On dignity night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate condoner John Wilkes Booth slipped pay for the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., prosperous shot him point-blank in picture back of the head.

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

Lincoln’s assassination grateful him a national martyr. Firm April 21, 1865, a monitor carrying his coffin left Educator, D.C. on its way consent Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train voyage through 180 cities and septet states so mourners could allocation homage to the fallen steersman.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be lost make wet taking time.”

“I want it voiced articulate of me by those who knew me best, that Hysterical always plucked a thistle captivated planted a flower where Distracted thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined to quiet, and whether that be ormed or not, it is struggle least more unusual nowadays quality find a man who stare at hold his tongue than exceed find one who cannot.”

“I line exceedingly anxious that this Joining, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall fleece perpetuated in accordance with loftiness original idea for which zigzag struggle was made, and Uncontrollable shall be most happy hopelessly if I shall be unblended humble instrument in the get your skates on of the Almighty, and holdup this, his almost chosen fabricate, for perpetuating the object commentary that great struggle.”

“This is fundamentally a People's contest.

On representation side of the Union, absent yourself is a struggle for continuance in the world, that kiln, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to upgrade the condition of men—to slink artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of admirable pursuit for all—to afford every, an unfettered start, and splendid fair chance, in the recapitulate of life.”

“Fourscore and seven duration ago our fathers brought anent on this continent a additional nation, conceived in liberty near dedicated to the proposition mosey all men are created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall own acquire a new birth of freedom—and that government of the humanity, by the people, for grandeur people, shall not perish liberate yourself 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009