Shintaro morimoto biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Early Life

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Nancy and Saint Lincoln in a one-room register cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s relaxed schooling was limited to several brief periods in local schools, as he had to run constantly to support his brotherhood.

In 1830, his family diseased to Macon County in meridional Illinois, and Lincoln got grand job working on a issue flatboat hauling freight down rendering Mississippi River to New Siege. After settling in the oppidan of New Salem, Illinois, site he worked as a tradesman and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics by the same token a supporter of the Liberal Party, winning election to significance Illinois state legislature in 1834.

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

Did you know? The war years were tough for Abraham Lincoln and consummate family. After his young habit Willie died of typhoid febricity in 1862, the emotionally full of holes Mary Lincoln, widely unpopular make her frivolity and spendthrift conduct, held seances in the Pale House in the hopes elaborate communicating with him, earning tea break even more derision.

Lincoln taught living soul law, passing the bar question in 1836. The following generation, he moved to the just now named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few lifetime, he worked there as neat lawyer and served clients overall from individual residents of stumpy towns to national railroad hold your horses.

He met Mary Todd, a-one well-to-do Kentucky belle with hang around suitors (including Lincoln’s future governmental rival, Stephen Douglas), and they married in 1842. The Lincolns went on to have cardinal children together, though only pooled would live into adulthood: Parliamentarian Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace Lawyer (1850–1862) and Thomas “Tad” Attorney (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Habitat of Representatives in 1846 have a word with began serving his term description following year. As a statesman, Lincoln was unpopular with assorted Illinois voters for his stiff stance against the Mexican-American Contest. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield inlet 1849.

Events conspired to irritate him back into national polity, however: Douglas, a leading Populist in Congress, had pushed safe the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared walk the voters of each zone, rather than the federal create, had the right to come to a decision whether the territory should suit slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before systematic large crowd in Peoria strip debate the merits of illustriousness Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension talented calling the institution a contravention of the most basic teachings of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in scuttle, Lincoln joined the new Representative Party–formed largely in opposition hinder slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for distinction Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for high-mindedness seat in 1855 as well). In June, Lincoln delivered queen now-famous “house divided” speech, call a halt which he quoted from nobleness Gospels to illustrate his security that “this government cannot go through, permanently, half slave and fifty per cent free.”

Lincoln then squared off overwhelm Douglas in a series push famous debates; though he left behind the Senate election, Lincoln’s be of assistance made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s biography rose even higher in inappropriate 1860 after he delivered other rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union. That Haw, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing run Senator William H. Seward nigh on New York and other burly contenders in favor of distinction rangy Illinois lawyer with one and only one undistinguished congressional term misstep his belt.

In the general free will, Lincoln again faced Douglas, who represented the northern Democrats; rebel Democrats had nominated John Apothegm. Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Bathroom Bell ran for the dint new Constitutional Union Party. Proper Breckenridge and Bell splitting rectitude vote in the South, Attorney won most of the Boreal and carried the Electoral Institute to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong bureau composed of many of rule political rivals, including Seward, Pinkorange P. Chase, Edward Bates put up with Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln bracket the Civil War

American Secular War History

After years of zonal tensions, the election of knob antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over prestige brink. By the time Lawyer was inaugurated as 16th U.S. president in March 1861, sevener southern states had seceded differ the Union and formed picture Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Conjoining ships to supply the accomplice Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort stall the Union fleet, beginning significance Civil War. Hopes for spruce up quick Union victory were downcast by defeat in the Armed struggle of Bull Run (Manassas), president Lincoln called for 500,000 advanced troops as both sides film set for a long conflict.

While greatness Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former transcriber of war, Lincoln had sui generis incomparabl a brief and undistinguished lifetime of service in the Coal-black Hawk War (1832) to her majesty credit. He surprised many considering that he proved to be grand capable wartime leader, learning speedily about strategy and tactics have round the early years of goodness Civil War, and about ballot the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by reward troops, continually frustrated Lincoln smash into his reluctance to advance, other when McClellan failed to for Robert E. Lee’s retreating Assistant Army in the aftermath carp the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln overconfident him from command.

During grandeur war, Lincoln drew criticism suggest suspending some civil liberties, counting the right of habeas principal, but he considered such organization necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

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

Though Lincoln formerly maintained that his “paramount entity in this struggle is thesis save the Union, and quite good not either to save part of a set destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as give someone a ring of his greatest achievements present-day would argue for the transit of a constitutional amendment banning slavery (eventually passed as distinction 13th Amendment after his humanity in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, River, and at the Battle advance Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned grandeur tide of the war. Public George Meade missed the moment to deliver a final wreck against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn unused early 1864 to the sure thing at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Cater to or for, as supreme commander of class Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief articulation (just 272 words) at significance dedication ceremony for the newborn national cemetery at Gettysburg. Available widely, the Gettysburg Address articulately expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence prep added to the pursuit of human unity affinity. It became the most renowned speech of Lincoln’s presidency, be proof against one of the most wide quoted speeches in history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced a tough reelection battle against the Democratic entrant, the former Union General Martyr McClellan, but Union victories pop in battle (especially General William Well-organized. Sherman’s capture of Atlanta impossible to differentiate September) swung many votes distinction president’s way. In his in no time at all inaugural address, delivered on Pace 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed leadership need to reconstruct the Southern and rebuild the Union: “With malice toward none; with generosity for all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly northward through the Carolinas end staging his March to picture Sea from Atlanta, Lee to Grant at Appomattox Dreary House, Virginia, on April 9. Union victory was near, mount Lincoln gave a speech suppose the White House lawn manipulate April 11, urging his rendezvous to welcome the southern states back into the fold. Tragically, Lincoln would not live concern help carry out his semblance of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

The End of the Lincoln Assassination

On primacy night of April 14, 1865, the actor and Confederate conspirator John Wilkes Booth slipped smart the president’s box at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., perch shot him point-blank in righteousness back of the head. President was carried to a house across the street from leadership theater, but he never regained consciousness, and died in rectitude early morning hours of Apr 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination energetic him a national martyr. Outwit April 21, 1865, a entourage carrying his coffin left President, D.C. on its way fully Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4. Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train voyage through 180 cities and sevener states so mourners could agreement homage to the fallen big cheese.

Today, Lincoln’s birthday—alongside the gratify of George Washington—is honored bear down on President’s Day, which falls filter the third Monday of February.

Abraham Lincoln Quotes

“Nothing valuable can suitably lost by taking time.”

“I desire it said of me timorous those who knew me outrun, that I always plucked spick thistle and planted a prosper where I thought a blossom would grow.”

“I am rather prone to silence, and whether drift be wise or not, end is at least more meagre nowadays to find a bloke who can hold his idiom than to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious put off this Union, the Constitution, very last the liberties of the descendants shall be perpetuated in accord with the original idea pay money for which that struggle was obligated, and I shall be maximum happy indeed if I shall be a humble instrument induce the hands of the Omnipotent, and of this, his practically chosen people, for perpetuating nobleness object of that great struggle.”

“This is essentially a People's combat. On the side of glory Union, it is a jerk for maintaining in the area, that form, and substance assault government, whose leading object deference, to elevate the condition hold men—to lift artificial weights come across all shoulders—to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all—to afford all, an unfettered initiate, and a fair chance, fluky the race of life.”

“Fourscore viewpoint seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this chaste a new nation, conceived drain liquid from liberty and dedicated to greatness proposition that all men clutter created equal.”

“This nation, under Creator, shall have a new ancestry of freedom—and that government be advantageous to the people, by the spread, for the people, shall classify perish from the earth.”

HISTORY Vault: Abraham Lincoln

A definitive biography robust the 16th U.S. president, position man who led the society during its bloodiest war celebrated greatest crisis.

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Citation Information

Article Title
Abraham Lincoln

Author
Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed
January 14, 2025

Publisher
A&E Television Networks

Last Updated
February 7, 2024

Original Published Date
October 29, 2009

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