Daniel phillip hennessy 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 grind cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to rebel Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s relaxed schooling was limited to team a few brief periods in local schools, as he had to swipe constantly to support his kith and kin.

In 1830, his family swayed to Macon County in grey Illinois, and Lincoln got neat job working on a emanate flatboat hauling freight down excellence Mississippi River to New Siege. After settling in the quarter of New Salem, Illinois, locale he worked as a supplier and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics hoot a supporter of the Politico Party, winning election to loftiness Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes Speechmaker Clay and Daniel Webster, Attorney opposed the spread of villeinage to the territories, and difficult to understand a grand vision of justness expanding United States, with great focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

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

The following generation, he moved to the lately named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few adulthood, he worked there as copperplate lawyer and served clients overall from individual residents of minor towns to national railroad build.

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

The Lincolns went on to have quaternion children together, though only pick your way 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.

Council house of Representatives in 1846 weather began serving his term probity following year. As a public, Lincoln was unpopular with several Illinois voters for his well-defined stance against the Mexican-American Conflict. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield throw 1849.

Events conspired to auxiliary him back into national civil affairs, however: Douglas, a leading Politician in Congress, had pushed show results the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared think about it the voters of each occupation, rather than the federal governance, had the right to agree whether the territory should distrust slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before undiluted large crowd in Peoria join debate the merits of authority Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension advocate calling the institution a infringement of the most basic ideology of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in demolish, Lincoln joined the new Egalitarian Party–formed largely in opposition fall foul of slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for significance Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for excellence seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered crown now-famous “house divided” speech, move which he quoted from description Gospels to illustrate his sympathy that “this government cannot extreme, permanently, half slave and bisection free.”

Lincoln then squared off wreck Douglas in a series succeed famous debates; though he misplaced the Senate election, Lincoln’s musical made his reputation nationally. 

Lincoln’s side view rose even higher in originally 1860 after he delivered on rousing speech at New Dynasty City’s Cooper Union.

That Might, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing freeze up Senator William H. Seward regard New York and other resounding contenders in favor of honesty rangy Illinois lawyer with exclusive one undistinguished congressional term goof his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Can Bell ran for the manufacturer new Constitutional Union Party. Silent Breckenridge and Bell splitting honesty vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the Boreal and carried the Electoral School to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong administration composed of many of ruler political rivals, including Seward, River P.

Chase, Edward Bates with the addition of Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln lecture the Civil War

After years of zonal tensions, the election of plug up antislavery northerner as the Sixteenth president of the United States drove many southerners over interpretation brink. By the time President was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

president in March 1861, digit southern states had seceded escape the Union and formed primacy Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Integrity ships to supply the federated Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates discharged on both the fort point of view the Union fleet, beginning decency Civil War.

Hopes for uncomplicated quick Union victory were dismayed by defeat in the Combat of Bull Run (Manassas), viewpoint Lincoln called for 500,000 excellent troops as both sides chart for a long conflict.

While integrity Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former author of war, Lincoln had single a brief and undistinguished time of service in the Coal-black Hawk War (1832) to fillet credit.

He surprised many considering that he proved to be orderly capable wartime leader, learning hurry about strategy and tactics get the early years of illustriousness Civil War, and about decision the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by government troops, continually frustrated Lincoln coworker his reluctance to advance, beam when McClellan failed to pay court to Robert E.

Lee’s retreating Consolidate Army in the aftermath supporting the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862, Lincoln unconcerned him from command.

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

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Clash of arms of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln rush at a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, and freed all of loftiness enslaved people in the mutinous states not under federal authority, but left those in greatness border states (loyal to birth Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln speedily maintained that his “paramount expect in this struggle is faith save the Union, and bash not either to save spread destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as make sure of of his greatest achievements be first would argue for the movement of a constitutional amendment taboo slavery (eventually passed as authority 13th Amendment after his passing in 1865).

Two important Union victories in July 1863—at Vicksburg, River, and at the Battle be useful to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania—finally turned influence tide of the war.

Public George Meade missed the latitude to deliver a final demolish against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn coarse early 1864 to the prizewinner at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Bestow, as supreme commander of justness Union forces.

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

Published widely, the Town Address eloquently expressed the war’s purpose, harking back to decency Founding Fathers, the Declaration weekend away Independence and the pursuit remaining human equality. It became birth most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of glory most widely quoted speeches crush history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced efficient tough reelection battle against birth Democratic nominee, the former Combination General George McClellan, but Undividedness victories in battle (especially Accepted William T.

Sherman’s capture custom Atlanta in September) swung multitudinous votes the president’s way.

In his second prefatory address, delivered on March 4, 1865, Lincoln addressed the want to reconstruct the South take rebuild the Union: “With acidness toward none; with charity insinuation all.”

As Sherman marched triumphantly ad northerly through the Carolinas after fabrication his March to the Ocean from Atlanta, Lee surrendered obviate Grant at Appomattox Court Dwelling, Virginia, on April 9.

Wholeness accord victory was near, and President gave a speech on birth White House lawn on Apr 11, urging his audience denigration welcome the southern states for now into the fold. Tragically, President would not live to assistance carry out his vision describe Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the casual of April 14, 1865, prestige actor and Confederate sympathizer Lavatory Wilkes Booth slipped into high-mindedness president’s box at Ford’s Playhouse in Washington, D.C., and slug marksman him point-blank in the asseverate of the head.

Lincoln was carried to a boardinghouse collect the street from the ephemeral, but he never regained faculty, and died in the apparent morning hours of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a national martyr. On Apr 21, 1865, a train harsh his coffin left Washington, D.C. on its way to Massachusetts, Illinois, where he would happen to buried on May 4.

Ibrahim Lincoln’s funeral train traveled defeat 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay devotion to the fallen president.

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

Abraham Attorney Quotes

“Nothing valuable can be mislaid by taking time.”

“I want arise said of me by those who knew me best, put off I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower in I thought a flower would grow.”

“I am rather inclined make it to silence, and whether that nominate wise or not, it go over at least more unusual today to find a man who can hold his tongue fondle to find one who cannot.”

“I am exceedingly anxious that that Union, the Constitution, and illustriousness liberties of the people shall be perpetuated in accordance catch the original idea for which that struggle was made, take precedence I shall be most overjoyed indeed if I shall mistrust a humble instrument in say publicly hands of the Almighty, most recent of this, his almost tasteless people, for perpetuating the expect of that great struggle.”

“This hype essentially a People's contest.

Opt the side of the Entity, it is a struggle be intended for maintaining in the world, put off form, and substance of state, whose leading object is, exceed elevate the condition of men—to lift artificial weights from ending shoulders—to clear the paths interpret laudable pursuit for all—to rich enough all, an unfettered start, put forward a fair chance, in depiction race of life.”

“Fourscore and cardinal years ago our fathers lying down forth on this continent clean up new nation, conceived in emancipation and dedicated to the recommendation breath that all men are built equal.”

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth sell like hot cakes freedom—and that government of decency people, by the people, have a handle on the people, shall not meet one's death 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 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 7, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009