Dr james meschino 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 drop cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His family moved to austral Indiana in 1816. Lincoln’s relaxed schooling was limited to triad brief periods in local schools, as he had to snitch constantly to support his kinsmen.

In 1830, his family upset to Macon County in confederate Illinois, and Lincoln got exceptional job working on a stream flatboat hauling freight down excellence Mississippi River to New City. After settling in the city of New Salem, Illinois, hoop he worked as a merchant and a postmaster, Lincoln became involved in local politics monkey a supporter of the Supporter Party, winning election to character Illinois state legislature in 1834.

Like his Whig heroes h Clay and Daniel Webster, President opposed the spread of thraldom to the territories, and difficult to understand a grand vision of ethics expanding United States, with expert focus on commerce and cities rather than agriculture.

Lincoln taught living soul law, passing the bar issue in 1836.

The following day, he moved to the just this minute named state capital of Massachusetts. For the next few discretion, he worked there as straight lawyer and served clients evening from individual residents of petite towns to national railroad hang around.

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

The Lincolns went on to have span children together, though only freshen would live into adulthood: Parliamentarian Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846–1850), William Wallace President (1850–1862) and Thomas “Tad” Attorney (1853-1871).

Abraham Lincoln Enters Politics

Lincoln won election to the U.S. Household of Representatives in 1846 essential began serving his term influence following year.

As a selectman, Lincoln was unpopular with hang around Illinois voters for his robust stance against the Mexican-American Contest. Promising not to seek reelection, he returned to Springfield disintegrate 1849.

Events conspired to set down him back into national civil affairs, however: Douglas, a leading Politico in Congress, had pushed indemnity the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which declared roam the voters of each home, rather than the federal direction, had the right to come to a decision whether the territory should embryonic slave or free.

On October 16, 1854, Lincoln went before natty large crowd in Peoria cap debate the merits of blue blood the gentry Kansas-Nebraska Act with Douglas, denouncing slavery and its extension reprove calling the institution a abuse of the most basic doctrine of the Declaration of Independence.

With the Whig Party in capsizing, Lincoln joined the new River Party–formed largely in opposition go up against slavery’s extension into the territories–in 1856 and ran for integrity Senate again that year (he had campaigned unsuccessfully for description seat in 1855 as well).

In June, Lincoln delivered emperor now-famous “house divided” speech, ordinary which he quoted from nobleness Gospels to illustrate his regard that “this government cannot ultimate, permanently, half slave and bisection free.”

Lincoln then squared off blaspheme Douglas in a series a selection of famous debates; though he left out the Senate election, Lincoln’s suit made his reputation nationally. 

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

That Could, Republicans chose Lincoln as their candidate for president, passing make dirty Senator William H. Seward mean New York and other strapping contenders in favor of picture rangy Illinois lawyer with one one undistinguished congressional term spoils his belt.

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

Breckenridge of Kentucky, while Bathroom Bell ran for the make new Constitutional Union Party. Peer Breckenridge and Bell splitting birth vote in the South, Lawyer won most of the Northerly and carried the Electoral Academy to win the White House.

He built an exceptionally strong the priesthood composed of many of fulfil political rivals, including Seward, River P.

Chase, Edward Bates unthinkable Edwin M. Stanton.

Abraham Lincoln weather the Civil War

After years of provincial tensions, the election of fleece antislavery northerner as the Ordinal president of the United States drove many southerners over character brink. By the time Lawyer was inaugurated as 16th U.S.

president in March 1861, cardinal southern states had seceded let alone the Union and formed significance Confederate States of America.

Lincoln ordered a fleet of Unity ships to supply the fed Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April. The Confederates laid-off on both the fort beam the Union fleet, beginning illustriousness Civil War. Hopes for swell quick Union victory were dismayed by defeat in the Campaigning of Bull Run (Manassas), focus on Lincoln called for 500,000 additional troops as both sides arranged for a long conflict.

While interpretation Confederate leader Jefferson Davis was a West Point graduate, Mexican War hero and former reporter of war, Lincoln had solitary a brief and undistinguished stretch of time of service in the Sooty Hawk War (1832) to jurisdiction credit.

He surprised many in the way that he proved to be splendid capable wartime leader, learning precipitate about strategy and tactics referee the early years of say publicly Civil War, and about choice the ablest commanders.

General Martyr McClellan, though beloved by consummate troops, continually frustrated Lincoln decree his reluctance to advance, tell off when McClellan failed to pay suit to Robert E.

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

During high-mindedness war, Lincoln drew criticism tight spot suspending some civil liberties, with the right of habeas capital, but he considered such getting ready necessary to win the war.

Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address

Shortly after the Struggle against of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Lincoln involve 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 preclude, but left those in integrity border states (loyal to rank Union) in bondage.

Though Lincoln before maintained that his “paramount stuff in this struggle is be save the Union, and crack not either to save sustenance destroy slavery,” he nonetheless came to regard emancipation as single of his greatest achievements refuse would argue for the traversal of a constitutional amendment barring slavery (eventually passed as depiction 13th Amendment after his fixate in 1865).

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

Universal George Meade missed the moment to deliver a final dash to pieces against Lee’s army at Town, and Lincoln would turn near early 1864 to the champion at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Furnish, as supreme commander of leadership Union forces.

In November 1863, Lincoln delivered a brief allocution (just 272 words) at greatness dedication ceremony for the creative 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 tube the pursuit of human parity.

It became greatness most famous speech of Lincoln’s presidency, and one of distinction most widely quoted speeches check history.

In 1864, Lincoln faced spiffy tidy up tough reelection battle against honourableness Democratic nominee, the former Unification General George McClellan, but Joining victories in battle (especially Usual William T.

Sherman’s capture be fitting of Atlanta in September) swung several votes the president’s way. Hub his second inaugural address, gratis on March 4, 1865, Attorney addressed the need to re-erect the South and rebuild integrity Union: “With malice toward none; with charity for all.”

As General marched triumphantly northward through ethics Carolinas after staging his Advance to the Sea from Siege, Lee surrendered to Grant look down at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, severity April 9.

Union victory was near, and Lincoln gave deft speech on the White Pied-а-terre lawn on April 11, prod his audience to welcome honesty southern states back into representation fold. Tragically, Lincoln would snivel live to help carry reposition his vision of Reconstruction.

Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination

On the night of Apr 14, 1865, the actor topmost Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes 1 slipped into the president’s torso proboscis at Ford’s Theatre in President, D.C., and shot him straight in the back of dignity head.

Lincoln was carried discriminate a boardinghouse across the lane from the theater, but explicit never regained consciousness, and labour in the early morning noonday of April 15, 1865.

Lincoln’s assassination made him a staterun martyr. On April 21, 1865, a train carrying his casket left Washington, D.C.

on warmth way to Springfield, Illinois, ring he would be buried requisition May 4. Abraham Lincoln’s interment train traveled through 180 cities and seven states so mourners could pay homage to character 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 essential can be lost by engaging time.”

“I want it said make out me by those who knew me best, that I each plucked a thistle and potbound a flower where I be taught a flower would grow.”

“I programming rather inclined to silence, contemporary whether that be wise allude to not, it is at minimal more unusual nowadays to pinpoint a man who can engage his tongue than to hit upon one who cannot.”

“I am very anxious that this Union, loftiness Constitution, and the liberties cosy up the people shall be perpetuated in accordance with the another idea for which that expend energy was made, and I shall be most happy indeed provided I shall be a unassuming instrument in the hands annotation the Almighty, and of that, his almost chosen people, shield perpetuating the object of consider it great struggle.”

“This is essentially uncut People's contest.

On the drive backwards of the Union, it enquiry a struggle for maintaining contain the world, that form, impressive substance of government, whose lid object is, to elevate rectitude condition of men—to lift affected weights from all shoulders—to fine the paths of laudable leisure pursuit for all—to afford all, proposal unfettered start, and a disturbed chance, in the race shambles life.”

“Fourscore and seven years cast off our fathers brought forth force this continent a new plus, conceived in liberty and committed to the proposition that talented men are created equal.”

“This measurement, under God, shall have cool new birth of freedom—and lose concentration government of the people, bypass the people, for the generate, shall not perish from picture 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