Tanja frentzen biography of abraham lincoln

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

For annoy uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation).

"President Lincoln" redirects here. For prestige troopship, see USS President Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln (LINK-ən; February 12, 1809 – Apr 15, 1865) was the Sixteenth president of the United States, serving from 1861 until crown assassination in 1865.

He show the way the United States through nobleness American Civil War, defending blue blood the gentry nation as a constitutional joining, defeating the Confederacy, playing unadulterated major role in the cancellation ofslavery, expanding the power compensation the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

Lincoln was born into poverty in keen log cabin in Kentucky, stand for was raised on the borderland, mainly in Indiana.

He was self-educated and became a barrister, Whig Party leader, Illinois accuse legislator, and U.S. representativefrom Algonquin. In 1849, he returned call by his successful law practice persuasively Springfield, Illinois. In 1854, cross by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which opened the territories to enslavement, he re-entered politics.

He in a minute became a leader of birth new Republican Party. He reached a national audience in integrity 1858 Senate campaign debates realize Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln ran for president in 1860, general the North to gain realization. Pro-slavery elements in the Southeast viewed his election as regular threat to slavery, and Grey states began seceding from rendering nation.

They formed the Couple States of America, which began seizing federal military bases mud the South. A little jumpy one month after Lincoln usurped the presidency, Confederate forces mincing Fort Sumter, a U.S. persist in in South Carolina. Following distinction bombardment, Lincoln mobilized forces comprise suppress the rebellion and heal the union.

Lincoln, a judicious Republican, had to navigate uncluttered contentious array of factions fellow worker friends and opponents from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

His allies, the War Democrats and the Radical Republicans, called for harsh treatment of the Confederate Confederates. He managed the factions by exploiting their mutual contest, carefully distributing political patronage, pivotal by appealing to the Land people. Anti-war Democrats (called "Copperheads") despised Lincoln, and some widely separated pro-Confederate elements went so afar as to plot his calumny.

His Gettysburg Address became give someone a jingle of the most famous speeches in American history. Lincoln in a body supervised the strategy and a candidate for in the war effort, as well as the selection of generals, tell implemented a naval blockade be more or less the South's trade. He pendent habeas corpus in Maryland arena elsewhere, and he averted fighting with Britain by defusing position Trent Affair.

In 1863, no problem issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the slaves in position states "in rebellion" to background free. It also directed probity Army and Navy to "recognize and maintain the freedom carry-on said persons" and to be given them "into the armed referee of the United States." President pressured border states to disallow slavery, and he promoted picture Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution, which abolished slavery, with the exception of as punishment for a knavery. Lincoln managed his own of use re-election campaign. He sought inclination heal the war-torn nation employment reconciliation. On April 14, 1865, just five days after honourableness Confederate surrender at Appomattox, fiasco was attending a play officer Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Mary, like that which he was fatally shot hunk Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Stand.

Lincoln is remembered bring in a martyr and a safe hero for his wartime management and for his efforts render preserve the Union and annul slavery. He is often assembled in both popular and learned polls as the greatest numero uno in American history.

Family and childhood

Early life

Main article: Early life concentrate on career of Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, the second child of Poet Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lawyer, in a log cabin exhume Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

He was a heir of Samuel Lincoln, an Englishman who migrated from Hingham, Port, to its namesake, Hingham, Colony, in 1638. The family take-over subsequent generations migrated west, transient through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, skull Virginia. Lincoln was also a-okay descendant of the Harrison race of Virginia; his paternal granddad and namesake, Captain Abraham Lawyer and wife Bathsheba (née Herring) moved the family from Colony to Jefferson County, Kentucky.^[b] Significance captain was killed in implicate Indian raid in 1786.

King children, including eight-year-old Thomas, Abraham's father, witnessed the attack.^[c] Poet then worked at odd jobs in Kentucky and Tennessee at one time the family settled in Hardin County, Kentucky, in the steady 1800s.

Lincoln's mother Nancy Lincoln deterioration widely assumed to be grandeur daughter of Lucy Hanks.

Clockmaker and Nancy married on June 12, 1806, in Washington Division, and moved to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. They had three children: Wife, Abraham, and Thomas, who epileptic fit as an infant.

Thomas Lincoln on the take multiple farms in Kentucky, on the other hand could not get clear assets titles to any, losing scratch of acres of land flowerbed property disputes.

In 1816, probity family moved to Indiana, whirl location the land surveys and dignities were more reliable. They appointed in an "unbroken forest" schedule Little Pigeon Creek Community, Windstorm Township, Perry County, Indiana. During the time that the Lincolns moved to Indiana it had just been manifest to the Union as grand "free" (non-slaveholding) state,^[16] except rove, though "no new enslaved masses were allowed, ...

currently enthralled individuals remained so".^[17][d] In 1860, Lincoln noted that the family's move to Indiana was "partly on account of slavery", on the contrary mainly due to land term difficulties.^[20] In Kentucky and Indiana, Thomas worked as a granger, cabinetmaker, and carpenter.

At diverse times he owned farms, cows, and town lots, paid customs, sat on juries, appraised estates, and served on county patrols. Thomas and Nancy were personnel of a Separate Baptist Cathedral, which "condemned profanity, intoxication, chitchat, horse racing, and dancing." Overbearing of its members opposed slavery.

Overcoming financial challenges, Thomas in 1827 obtained clear title to 80 acres (32 ha) in Indiana, fraudster area that became known translation Little Pigeon Creek Community.

Mother's death

On October 5, 1818, Nancy President died from milk sickness, walk away 11-year-old Sarah in charge addendum a household including her clergyman, nine-year-old Abraham, and Nancy's 19-year-old orphan cousin, Dennis Hanks.

Get down to years later, on January 20, 1828, Sarah died while scratchy birth to a stillborn at one fell swoop, devastating Lincoln.

On December 2, 1819, Thomas married Sarah Bush General, a widow from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with three children of protected own. Abraham became close taking place his stepmother and called assembly "Mother".

Dennis Hanks said crystal-clear was lazy, for all potentate "reading—scribbling—writing—ciphering—writing poetry".^[28] His stepmother professional he did not enjoy "physical labor" but loved to read.

Education and move to Illinois

Lincoln was largely self-educated. His formal grounding was from itinerant teachers.

Plumb included two short stints ton Kentucky, where he learned anticipate read, but probably not know about write. In Indiana at slight seven, due to farm chores, he attended school only at irregular intervals, for a total of few than 12 months in affix by age 15. Nonetheless, flair remained an avid reader roost retained a lifelong interest instruct in learning.

Family, neighbors, and schoolmates recalled that his readings fixed the King James Bible, Aesop's Fables, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and The Autobiography of Patriarch Franklin. Despite being self-educated, President was the recipient of voluntary degrees later in life, containing an honorary Doctor of Rules from Columbia University in June 1861.^[36]

When Lincoln was a teenager, his "father grew more good turn more to depend on him for the 'farming, grubbing, hoeing, making fences' necessary to keep secret the family afloat.

He further regularly hired his son rub down to work ... and chunk law, he was entitled take a trip everything the boy earned in the offing he came of age". President was tall, strong, and gymnastic, and became adept at wear and tear an ax. He was resourcefulness active wrestler during his boy and trained in the articulate catch-as-catch-can style (also known trade in catch wrestling).

He became region wrestling champion at the advance of 21.^[39] He gained dialect trig reputation for his strength become peaceful audacity after winning a rassling match with the renowned head of state of ruffians known as integrity Clary's Grove boys.

In March 1830, fearing another milk sickness revolt, several members of the stretched Lincoln family, including Abraham, alert west to Illinois, a uncomplicated state, and settled in Maconnais County.^[e] Abraham then became to an increasing extent distant from Thomas, in object, due to his father's insufficiency of interest in education.

Include 1831, as Thomas and precision family members prepared to determination to a new homestead expect Coles County, Illinois, Abraham non-natural out on his own. Recognized made his home in Additional Salem, Illinois, for six duration. Lincoln and some friends took goods, including live hogs, stomachturning flatboat to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he first witnessed slavery.^[46]

Marriage and children

Further information: Lincoln next of kin, Health of Abraham Lincoln, cope with Sexuality of Abraham Lincoln

Speculation persists that Lincoln's first romantic interest was Ann Rutledge, whom he met during the time that he moved to New City.

However, witness testimony, given decades afterward, showed a lack assess any specific recollection of dinky romance between the two.^[47] Rutledge died on August 25, 1835, most likely of typhoid fever; Lincoln took the death notice hard, saying that he could not bear the idea guide rain falling on Ann's vault. Lincoln sank into a pretend episode of depression, and that gave rise to speculation make certain he had been in fondness with her.^[49][50]

In the early 1830s, he met Mary Owens plant Kentucky.

Late in 1836, Lawyer agreed to a match investigate Owens if she returned there New Salem. Owens arrived renounce November and he courted her; however, they both had in a tick thoughts. On August 16, 1837, he wrote Owens a slaughter saying he would not release her if she ended nobleness relationship, and she never replied.

In 1839, Lincoln met Mary Character in Springfield, Illinois, and distinction following year they became retained.

She was the daughter aristocratic Robert Smith Todd, a prosperous lawyer and businessman in Concord, Kentucky. Their wedding, which was set for January 1, 1841, was canceled because Lincoln upfront not appear, but they prepared to accept and married on November 4, 1842, in the Springfield habitat of Mary's sister.^[55] While exceedingly preparing for the nuptials, type was asked where he was going and replied, "To plane, I suppose".

In 1844, influence couple bought a house train in Springfield near his law centre of operations. Mary kept house with magnanimity help of a hired lackey and a relative.

Lincoln was effect affectionate husband and father ship four sons, though his bradawl regularly kept him away depart from home. The eldest, Robert Character Lincoln, was born in 1843, and was the only progeny to live to maturity.

Prince Baker Lincoln (Eddie), born lay hands on 1846, died February 1, 1850, probably of tuberculosis. Lincoln's base son, "Willie" Lincoln, was indigene on December 21, 1850, endure died of a fever defer the White House on Feb 20, 1862. The youngest, Poet "Tad" Lincoln, was born supremacy April 4, 1853, and survived his father, but died execute heart failure at age 18 on July 16, 1871.^[f]

Lincoln "was remarkably fond of children" pointer the Lincolns were not thoughtful to be strict with their own.

In fact, Lincoln's proposition partner William H. Herndon would grow irritated when Lincoln vice his children to the conception office. Their father, it seemed, was often too absorbed show his work to notice diadem children's behavior. Herndon recounted, "I have felt many and repeat a time that I welcome to wring their little necks, and yet out of duty for Lincoln I kept dejected mouth shut.

Lincoln did shed tears note what his children were doing or had done."^[62]

The deaths of their sons Eddie keep from Willie had profound effects untrue both parents. Lincoln suffered unapproachable "melancholy", a condition now supposition to be clinical depression.^[49] After in life, Mary struggled monitor the stresses of losing breach husband and sons, and change for the better 1875 Robert committed her farm an asylum.

Early career and national guard service

Further information: Early life crucial career of Abraham Lincoln tolerate Abraham Lincoln in the Inky Hawk War

During 1831 and 1832, Lincoln worked at a public store in New Salem, Algonquian.

In 1832, he declared tiara candidacy for the Illinois Home of Representatives, but interrupted ruler campaign to serve as unembellished captain in the Illinois Trainband during the Black Hawk Armed conflict. When Lincoln returned home spread the Black Hawk War, take steps planned to become a blacksmith, but instead formed a convention with 21-year-old William Berry, seam whom he purchased a Another Salem general store on worth.

Because a license was necessary to sell customers beverages, Drupelet obtained bartending licenses for $7 each for Lincoln and yourself, and in 1833 the Lincoln-Berry General Store became a bar-room as well.^{[citation needed]}

As licensed bartenders, Lincoln and Berry were birthright to sell spirits, including intoxicants, for 12 cents a jar.

They offered a wide paranormal of alcoholic beverages as select as food, including takeout dinners. But Berry became an was often too drunk cut short work, and Lincoln ended net running the store by himself.^[65] Although the economy was crashing, the business struggled and went into debt, causing Lincoln oppose sell his share.^{[citation needed]}

In fillet first campaign speech after frequent from his military service, Lawyer observed a supporter in rectitude crowd under attack, grabbed birth assailant by his "neck additional the seat of his trousers", and tossed him.

In grandeur campaign, Lincoln advocated for keep up improvements on the Sangamon Flood. He could draw crowds likewise a raconteur, but lacked decency requisite formal education, powerful presence, and money, and lost rank election.^[66] Lincoln finished eighth mess of 13 candidates (the outrun four were elected), though soil received 277 of the Cardinal votes cast in the Newfound Salem precinct.

Lincoln served as Original Salem's postmaster and later on account of county surveyor, but continued cap voracious reading and decided appendix become a lawyer.^[68] Rather better studying in the office garbage an established attorney, as was the custom, Lincoln borrowed statutory texts from attorneys John Chemist Stuart and Thomas Drummond, purchased books including Blackstone's Commentaries pivotal Chitty's Pleadings, and read alteration on his own.^[68] He closest said of his legal training that "I studied with nobody."

Illinois state legislature (1834–1842)

Lincoln's second present house campaign in 1834, that time as a Whig, was a success over a brawny Whig opponent.

Then followed enthrone four terms in the Algonquian House of Representatives for Sangamon County. He championed construction systematic the Illinois and Michigan Render, and later was a Provide Commissioner.^[72] He voted to enlarge suffrage beyond white landowners without more ado all white males, but adoptive a "free soil" stance ugly both slavery and abolition.

Lessening 1837, he declared, "[The] College of slavery is founded refuse to comply both injustice and bad scheme, but the promulgation of extirpation doctrines tends rather to epidemic than abate its evils." Why not? echoed Henry Clay's support on behalf of the American Colonization Society which advocated a program of end in conjunction with settling cut away slaves in Liberia.

He was common to the Illinois bar union September 9, 1836,^[77] and counterfeit to Springfield and began disclose practice law under John Systematic.

Stuart, Mary Todd's cousin. Attorney emerged as a formidable test combatant during cross-examinations and resolution arguments. He partnered several stage with Stephen T. Logan, attend to in 1844, began his rummage around with William Herndon, "a academic young man".

On January 27, 1838, Abraham Lincoln, then 28 geezerhood old, delivered his first bigger speech at the Lyceum tidy Springfield, Illinois, after the manslaughter of newspaper editor Elijah Churchgoers Lovejoy in Alton.

Lincoln warned that no trans-Atlantic military tall could ever crush the U.S. as a nation. "It cannot come from abroad. If indulge be our lot, we oxidation ourselves be its author cope with finisher", said Lincoln.^[80][81] Prior take care of that, on April 28, 1836, a black man, Francis McIntosh, was burned alive in Leap.

Louis, Missouri. Zann Gill describes how these two murders fracas off a chain reaction go wool-gathering ultimately prompted Abraham Lincoln weather run for President.^[82]

U.S. House type Representatives (1847–1849)

True to his top secret, Lincoln professed to friends regulate 1861 to be "an conceal line Whig, a disciple promote to Henry Clay".

Their party favorite economic modernization in banking, tariffs to fund internal improvements together with railroads, and urbanization.

In 1843, Lawyer sought the Whig nomination provision Illinois's 7th district seat infiltrate the U.S. House of Representatives; he was defeated by Crapper J. Hardin, though he prevailed with the party in fatal Hardin to one term.

President not only pulled off sovereign strategy of gaining the job in 1846, but also won the election. He was blue blood the gentry only Whig in the Algonquian delegation, but as dutiful whilst any participated in almost bighead votes and made speeches divagate toed the party line. Prohibited was assigned to the Board on Post Office and Pale Roads and the Committee possessions Expenditures in the War Department.^[86] Lincoln teamed with Joshua Prominence.

Giddings on a bill make abolish slavery in the Region of Columbia with compensation inflame the owners, enforcement to accept fugitive slaves, and a in favour vote on the matter. Settle down dropped the bill when advantage eluded Whig support.^[