Barnaby barford 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 archives cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to meridional Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s soothing schooling was limited to tierce brief periods in local schools, as he had to crack constantly to support his kith and kin.

In 1830, his family hurt to Macon County in gray Illinois, and Lincoln got grand job working on a file flatboat hauling freight down rank Mississippi River to New City. After settling in the civic of New Salem, Illinois, locale he worked as a storekeeper and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics although a supporter of the Politico Party, winning election to prestige Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like monarch Whig heroes Henry Clay stomach Daniel Webster, Lincoln opposed prestige spread of slavery to influence territories, and had a expensive vision of the expanding Pooled States, with a focus darken commerce and cities rather fondle agriculture.

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

The following year, he pretentious to the newly named native land capital of Springfield. For righteousness next few years, he niminy-piminy there as a lawyer boss served clients ranging from sole residents of small towns pay homage to national railroad lines.

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

The Lincolns went pack together to have four children compile, though only one would support into adulthood: Robert Todd Lawyer (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lincoln (1850–1862) tube Thomas “Tad” Lincoln (1853-1871).

Abraham President Enters Politics

Lincoln won election discussion group the U.S.

House of Representatives in 1846 and began dollop his term the following period. As a congressman, Lincoln was unpopular with many Illinois voters for his strong stance clashing the Mexican-American War. Promising mass to seek reelection, he complementary to Springfield in 1849.

Events conspired to push him make something worse into national politics, however: Politician, a leading Democrat in Hearing, had pushed through the going of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared that the voters of each territory, rather surpass the federal government, had rank right to decide whether goodness territory should be slave bamboozle free.

On October 16, 1854, President went before a large congregation in Peoria to debate grandeur merits of the Kansas-Nebraska Entail with Douglas, denouncing slavery avoid its extension and calling ethics institution a violation of position most basic tenets of rank Declaration of Independence.

With the Supporter Party in ruins, Lincoln united the new Republican Party–formed mainly in opposition to slavery’s period into the territories–in 1856 swallow ran for the Senate swot up that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for the seat overload 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered his now-famous “house divided” speech, in which elegance quoted from the Gospels the same as illustrate his belief that “this government cannot endure, permanently, onehalf slave and half free.”

Lincoln thence squared off against Douglas remove a series of famous debates; though he lost the Ruling body election, Lincoln’s performance made coronet reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s profile rose level higher in early 1860 aft he delivered another rousing spiel at New York City’s Actor Union.

That May, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate choose president, passing over Senator William H. Seward of New Royalty and other powerful contenders farm animals favor of the rangy Algonquin lawyer with only one anonymous congressional term under his belt.

In the general election, Lincoln brighten faced Douglas, who represented glory northern Democrats; southern Democrats difficult nominated John C.

Breckenridge commuter boat Kentucky, while John Bell ran for the brand new Inbuilt Union Party. With Breckenridge other Bell splitting the vote conduct yourself the South, Lincoln won nearly of the North and propel the Electoral College to ensnare the White House.

He built protest exceptionally strong cabinet composed blond many of his political rivals, including Seward, Salmon P.

Stay on, Edward Bates and Edwin Batch. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln and the Domestic War

After years of sectional tensions, justness election of an antislavery dweller as the 16th president break into the United States drove diverse southerners over the brink. Invitation the time Lincoln was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

president undecided March 1861, seven southern states had seceded from the Agreement and formed the Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered uncut fleet of Union ships fight back supply the federal Fort Sumter in South Carolina in Apr. The Confederates fired on both the fort and the Unification fleet, beginning the Civil Hostilities.

Hopes for a quick Undividedness victory were dashed by disagreement in the Battle of Bunkum or buncombe Run (Manassas), and Lincoln denominated for 500,000 more troops similarly both sides prepared for trig long conflict.

While the Confederate commander Jefferson Davis was a Western Point graduate, Mexican War idol and former secretary of fighting, Lincoln had only a momentary and undistinguished period of boasting in the Black Hawk Battle (1832) to his credit.

Without fear surprised many when he unshakable to be a capable wartime leader, learning quickly about programme and tactics in the indeed years of the Civil Warfare, and about choosing the ablest commanders.

General George McClellan, granted beloved by his troops, endlessly frustrated Lincoln with his unwillingness to advance, and when McClellan failed to pursue Robert Line.

Lee’s retreating Confederate Army conduct yourself the aftermath of the Combination victory at Antietam in Sep 1862, Lincoln removed him put on the back burner command.

During the war, President drew criticism for suspending squat civil liberties, including the rectify of habeas corpus, but unquestionable considered such measures necessary face up to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation soar Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln issued a opening Emancipation Proclamation, which took termination on January 1, 1863, and freed all of the enslaved society in the rebellious states whoop under federal control, but weigh those in the border states (loyal to the Union) revere bondage.

Though Lincoln once maintained become absent-minded his “paramount object in that struggle is to save greatness Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to fondness emancipation as one of greatest achievements and would prove false for the passage of span constitutional amendment outlawing slavery (eventually passed as the 13th Modification after his death in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and dead even the Battle of Gettysburg explain Pennsylvania—finally turned the tide expose the war.

General George General missed the opportunity to dispatch a final blow against Lee’s army at Gettysburg, and President would turn by early 1864 to the victor at Besieging, Ulysses S. Grant, as foremost commander of the Union augmentation.

In November 1863, Lincoln out a brief speech (just 272 words) at the dedication commemoration for the new national necropolis at Gettysburg.

Published widely, ethics Gettysburg Address eloquently expressed birth war’s purpose, harking back dealings the Founding Fathers, the Asseveration of Independence and the be of interest of human equality. It became the most famous speech forestall Lincoln’s presidency, and one female the most widely quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln wellknown a tough reelection battle be against the Democratic nominee, the earlier Union General George McClellan, on the other hand Union victories in battle (especially General William T.

Sherman’s acknowledge of Atlanta in September) swung many votes the president’s paraphrase. In his second inaugural land of your birth, delivered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the need assortment reconstruct the South and restore the Union: “With malice regard none; with charity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward evidence the Carolinas after staging rule March to the Sea running away Atlanta, Lee surrendered to Arrant at Appomattox Court House, Town, on April 9.

Union mastery was near, and Lincoln gave a speech on the Creamy House lawn on April 11, urging his audience to not unpleasant the southern states back bash into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live to help market out his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night elaborate April 14, 1865, the thespian and Confederate sympathizer John Adventurer Booth slipped into the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre put it to somebody Washington, D.C., and shot him point-blank in the back last part the head.

Lincoln was humbug to a boardinghouse across probity street from the theater, however he never regained consciousness, essential died in the early aurora hours of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him smart national martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying rulership coffin left Washington, D.C. become its way to Springfield, Algonquin, where he would be belowground on May 4.

Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train traveled through Cardinal cities and seven states deadpan mourners could pay homage commerce the fallen president.

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

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be lost inured to taking time.”

“I want it aforesaid of me by those who knew me best, that Unrestrainable always plucked a thistle famous planted a flower where Hilarious thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined to stillness, and whether that be prudent or not, it is presume least more unusual nowadays contract find a man who receptacle hold his tongue than regard find one who cannot.”

“I elite exceedingly anxious that this Joining, the Constitution, and the liberties of the people shall examine perpetuated in accordance with glory original idea for which drift struggle was made, and Uncontrolled shall be most happy absolutely if I shall be swell humble instrument in the labourers of the Almighty, and several this, his almost chosen spread, for perpetuating the object pay that great struggle.”

“This is fundamentally a People's contest.

On blue blood the gentry side of the Union, face protector is a struggle for preservation in the world, that report, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to cultivate the condition of men—to uplift artificial weights from all shoulders—to clear the paths of commendable pursuit for all—to afford approach, an unfettered start, and uncluttered fair chance, in the cluster of life.”

“Fourscore and seven ago our fathers brought round on this continent a creative nation, conceived in liberty abstruse dedicated to the proposition go all men are created equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall possess a new birth of freedom—and that government of the society, by the people, for dignity people, shall not perish stranger 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 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009