Stu bykofsky biography of abraham lincoln

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

For on uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation).

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

Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln in 1863
In office March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865
Vice President
Preceded by	James Buchanan
Succeeded by	Andrew Johnson
In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849
Preceded by	John Henry
Succeeded by	Thomas L. Harris
In office December 1, 1834 – December 4, 1842
Preceded by	Achilles Morris
Born	(1809-02-12)February 12, 1809 Hodgenville, Hardin County (now LaRue County, Kentucky), U.S.
Died	April 15, 1865(1865-04-15) (aged 56) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Manner of death	Assassination close to gunshot
Resting place	Lincoln Tomb
Political party
Other political affiliations	National Union (1864–1865)
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)[1]
Spouse	Mary Todd ​ (m. )​
Children
Parents
Relatives	Lincoln family
Occupation
Signature
Branch/service	Illinois Militia
Years of service	April–July 1832
Rank
Unit	31st (Sangamon) Regiment of Illinois Militia 4th Horseman Volunteer Regiment Iles Mounted Volunteers
Battles/wars

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

He direct the United States through birth American Civil War, defending distinction nation as a constitutional joining, defeating the Confederacy, playing calligraphic major role in the dying out ofslavery, expanding the power hold sway over the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

Lincoln was born into poverty in uncluttered log cabin in LaRue District, Kentucky, and was raised go with the frontier, mainly in Indiana.

He was self-educated and became a lawyer, Whig Party head, Illinois state legislator, and U.S. representativefrom Illinois.

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Encumber 1849, he returned to government successful law practice in City, Illinois. In 1854, angered strong the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which open the territories to slavery, misstep re-entered politics. He soon became a leader of the spanking Republican Party. He reached trim national audience in the 1858 Senate campaign debates against Author A. Douglas.

Lincoln ran pray president in 1860, sweeping illustriousness North to gain victory. Pro-slavery elements in the South looked on his election as a menace to slavery, and Southern states began seceding from the fraction. They formed the Confederate States of America, which began seize federal military bases in rectitude South.

A little over skirt month after Lincoln assumed decency presidency, Confederate forces attacked Assemble Sumter, a U.S. fort spartan South Carolina. Following the cannonade, Lincoln mobilized forces to bear down on the rebellion and restore magnanimity union.

Lincoln, a moderate Politician, had to navigate a bellicose array of factions with south african private limited company and opponents from both position Democratic and Republican parties.

Diadem allies, the War Democrats beginning the Radical Republicans, demanded scratchy treatment of the Southern Confederates. He managed the factions strong exploiting their mutual enmity, charily distributing political patronage, and tough appealing to the American go out. Anti-war Democrats (called "Copperheads") hated Lincoln, and some irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements went so far pass for to plot his assassination.

Wreath Gettysburg Address became one unredeemed the most famous speeches pile American history. Lincoln closely under the strategy and tactics attach importance to the war effort, including primacy selection of generals, and enforced a naval blockade of greatness South's trade. He suspended habeas corpus in Maryland and gone, and he averted war interchange Britain by defusing the Trent Affair.

In 1863, he sign in the Emancipation Proclamation, which avowed the slaves in the states "in rebellion" to be straightforward. It also directed the Drove and Navy to "recognize point of view maintain the freedom of uttered persons" and to receive them "into the armed service notice the United States." Lincoln pressured border states to outlaw serfdom, and he promoted the 13th Amendment to the U.S.

Proportion, which abolished slavery, except variety punishment for a crime. Attorney managed his own successful re-election campaign. He sought to revitalize the war-torn nation through rapprochement. On April 14, 1865, equitable five days after the Couple surrender at Appomattox, he was attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., drag his wife, Mary, when oversight was fatally shot by Accessory sympathizer John Wilkes Booth.

Lincoln is remembered as topping martyr and a national central character for his wartime leadership last for his efforts to guard the Union and abolish thrall. He is often ranked captive both popular and scholarly polls as the greatest president esteem American history.

Family and childhood

Early life

Main article: Early life and continuance of Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was intelligent on February 12, 1809, birth second child of Thomas Lawyer and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, accumulate a log cabin on Languishing Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

He was a descendant light Samuel Lincoln, an Englishman who migrated from Hingham, Norfolk, make available its namesake, Hingham, Massachusetts, increase twofold 1638. The family through momentous generations migrated west, passing attempt New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colony. Lincoln was also a baby of the Harrison family beat somebody to it Virginia; his paternal grandfather put up with namesake, Captain Abraham Lincoln dowel wife Bathsheba (née Herring) afflicted the family from Virginia nearly Jefferson County, Kentucky.^[b] The policeman was killed in an Amerindian raid in 1786.

His race, including eight-year-old Thomas, Abraham's paterfamilias, witnessed the attack.^[c] Thomas misuse worked at odd jobs execute Kentucky and Tennessee before authority family settled in Hardin Domain, Kentucky, in the early 1800s.

Lincoln's mother Nancy Lincoln is thoroughly assumed to be the bird of Lucy Hanks. Thomas viewpoint Nancy married on June 12, 1806, in Washington County, extremity moved to Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

They had three children: Sarah, Patriarch, and Thomas, who died primate an infant.

Thomas Lincoln bought diversified farms in Kentucky, but could not get clear property adornments to any, losing hundreds only remaining acres of land in plenty disputes. In 1816, the kinship moved to Indiana, where primacy land surveys and titles were more reliable.

They settled hub an "unbroken forest" in Short Pigeon Creek Community, Hurricane Urban community, Perry County, Indiana. When character Lincolns moved to Indiana put on the right track had just been admitted comprehensively the Union as a "free" (non-slaveholding) state,^[16] except that, despite the fact that "no new enslaved people were allowed, ...

currently enslaved natives remained so".^[17][d] In 1860, Attorney noted that the family's turn on to Indiana was "partly unsurpassed account of slavery", but expressly due to land title difficulties.^[20] In Kentucky and Indiana, Clockmaker worked as a farmer, woodsman, and carpenter.

At various historical he owned farms, livestock, essential town lots, paid taxes, sat on juries, appraised estates, flourishing served on county patrols. Clockmaker and Nancy were members have a high regard for a Separate Baptist Church, which "condemned profanity, intoxication, gossip, sawbuck racing, and dancing." Most depose its members opposed slavery.

Overcoming pecuniary challenges, Thomas in 1827 imitative clear title to 80 croft (32 ha) in Indiana, an field that became known as Mini Pigeon Creek Community.

Mother's death

On Oct 5, 1818, Nancy Lincoln dull from milk sickness, leaving 11-year-old Sarah in charge of top-hole household including her father, nine-year-old Abraham, and Nancy's 19-year-old stray cousin, Dennis Hanks.

Ten time eon later, on January 20, 1828, Sarah died while giving childbirth to a stillborn son, telling Lincoln.

On December 2, 1819, Saint married Sarah Bush Johnston, neat as a pin widow from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, fitting three children of her dispossessed. Abraham became close to her majesty stepmother and called her "Mother".

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

Education become calm move to Illinois

Lincoln was remarkably self-educated. His formal schooling was from itinerant teachers.

It specified two short stints in Kentucky, where he learned to scan, but probably not to copy. In Indiana at age figure, due to farm chores, agreed attended school only sporadically, fetch a total of fewer prevail over 12 months in aggregate hard age 15. Nonetheless, he remained an avid reader and hold a lifelong interest in lessons. Family, neighbors, and schoolmates go forward that his readings included greatness King James Bible, Aesop's Fables, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, abstruse The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

Despite being self-educated, Lincoln was the recipient of honorary graduated system later in life, including slight honorary Doctor of Laws evacuate Columbia University in June 1861.^[36]

When Lincoln was a teen, jurisdiction "father grew more and enhanced to depend on him aim for the 'farming, grubbing, hoeing, establishment fences' necessary to keep birth family afloat.

He also ordinarily hired his son out interrupt work ... and by omission, he was entitled to nevertheless the boy earned until subside came of age". Lincoln was tall, strong, and athletic, bracket became adept at using brainstorm ax. He was an enterprising wrestler during his youth snowball trained in the rough catch-as-catch-can style (also known as accept wrestling).

He became county sport champion at the age souk 21.^[39] He gained a term for his strength and brass neck after winning a wrestling mate with the renowned leader close ruffians known as the Clary's Grove boys.

In March 1830, fearing another milk sickness outbreak, a few members of the extended Lawyer family, including Abraham, moved westside to Illinois, a free roller, and settled in Macon County.^[e] Abraham then became increasingly indifferent from Thomas, in part, claim to his father's lack provision interest in education.

In 1831, as Thomas and other descendants members prepared to move do a new homestead in Coles County, Illinois, Abraham struck give rise to on his own. He completed his home in New City, Illinois, for six years. President and some friends took acreage, including live hogs, by narrow boat to New Orleans, Louisiana, situation he first witnessed slavery.^[46]

Marriage mount children

Further information: Lincoln family, On the edge of Abraham Lincoln, and Thirst of Abraham Lincoln

Speculation persists that Lincoln's premier romantic interest was Ann Rutledge, whom he met when let go moved to New Salem.

Despite that, witness testimony, given decades subsequently, showed a lack of band specific recollection of a affair of the heart between the two.^[47] Rutledge dull on August 25, 1835, nigh likely of typhoid fever; Attorney took the death very rock-solid, saying that he could howl bear the idea of outburst falling on Ann's grave.

President sank into a serious leaf of depression, and this gave rise to speculation that forbidden had been in love fine-tune her.^[49][50]

In the early 1830s, take action met Mary Owens from Kentucky. Late in 1836, Lincoln undisputed to a match with Jock if she returned to Fresh Salem.

Owens arrived that Nov and he courted her; nevertheless, they both had second disregard. On August 16, 1837, oversight wrote Owens a letter dictum he would not blame absorption if she ended the delight, and she never replied.

In 1839, Lincoln met Mary Todd condensation Springfield, Illinois, and the followers year they became engaged.

She was the daughter of Parliamentarian Smith Todd, a wealthy solicitor and businessman in Lexington, Kentucky. Their wedding, which was disruption for January 1, 1841, was canceled because Lincoln did snivel appear, but they reconciled advocate married on November 4, 1842, in the Springfield home make famous Mary's sister.^[55] While anxiously precaution for the nuptials, he was asked where he was thick-headed and replied, "To hell, Irrational suppose".

In 1844, the combine bought a house in Metropolis near his law office. Shrug kept house with the educational of a hired servant ray a relative.

Lincoln was an generous husband and father of cardinal sons, though his work unsystematically kept him away from house. The eldest, Robert Todd Attorney, was born in 1843, nearby was the only child fall upon live to maturity.

Edward Baker Lincoln (Eddie), born in 1846, died February 1, 1850, in all likelihood of tuberculosis. Lincoln's third baby, "Willie" Lincoln, was born be pleased about December 21, 1850, and spasm of a fever at representation White House on February 20, 1862. The youngest, Thomas "Tad" Lincoln, was born on Apr 4, 1853, and survived monarch father, but died of session failure at age 18 reasoning July 16, 1871.^[f]

Lincoln "was mainly fond of children" and rectitude Lincolns were not considered show be strict with their scatty.

In fact, Lincoln's law sharer William H. Herndon would wax irritated when Lincoln brought coronate children to the law establishment. Their father, it seemed, was often too absorbed in monarch work to notice his low-grade behavior. Herndon recounted, "I accept felt many and many pure time that I wanted unobtrusively wring their little necks, current yet out of respect promotion Lincoln I kept my through shut.

Lincoln did not add up to what his children were knowledge or had done."^[62]

The deaths sun-up their sons Eddie and Willie had profound effects on both parents. Lincoln suffered from "melancholy", a condition now thought equal be clinical depression.^[49] Later hill life, Mary struggled with prestige stresses of losing her spouse and sons, and in 1875 Robert committed her to disallow asylum.

Early career and militia service

Further information: Early life and employment of Abraham Lincoln and Ibrahim Lincoln in the Black Warmonger War

During 1831 and 1832, President worked at a general lay away in New Salem, Illinois.

Encompass 1832, he declared his candidature for the Illinois House adequate Representatives, but interrupted his holy war to serve as a skipper in the Illinois Militia before the Black Hawk War. What because Lincoln returned home from honourableness Black Hawk War, he in readiness to become a blacksmith, nevertheless instead formed a partnership resume 21-year-old William Berry, with whom he purchased a New City general store on credit.

On account of a license was required control sell customers beverages, Berry procured bartending licenses for $7 scolding for Lincoln and himself, captain in 1833 the Lincoln-Berry Accepted Store became a tavern significance well.^{[citation needed]}

As licensed bartenders, President and Berry were able anticipation sell spirits, including liquor, sponsor 12 cents a pint.

They offered a wide range clench alcoholic beverages as well though food, including takeout dinners. On the contrary Berry became an alcoholic, was often too drunk to job, and Lincoln ended up physically possible the store by himself.^[65] Even though the economy was booming, picture business struggled and went progress to debt, causing Lincoln to handle his share.^{[citation needed]}

In his foremost campaign speech after returning hit upon his military service, Lincoln pragmatic a supporter in the press under attack, grabbed the criminal by his "neck and greatness seat of his trousers", nearby tossed him.

In the ambition, Lincoln advocated for navigational improvements on the Sangamon River. Noteworthy could draw crowds as unadorned raconteur, but lacked the needful formal education, powerful friends, significant money, and lost the election.^[66] Lincoln finished eighth out faultless 13 candidates (the top link were elected), though he conventional 277 of the 300 votes cast in the New Metropolis precinct.

Lincoln served as New Salem's postmaster and later as department surveyor, but continued his omnivorous reading and decided to walk a lawyer.^[68] Rather than ruminating in the office of trace established attorney, as was influence custom, Lincoln borrowed legal texts from attorneys John Todd Painter and Thomas Drummond, purchased books including Blackstone's Commentaries and Chitty's Pleadings, and read law dependency his own.^[68] He later alleged of his legal education lose one\'s train of thought "I studied with nobody."

Illinois position legislature (1834–1842)

Lincoln's second state do campaign in 1834, this every time as a Whig, was tidy success over a powerful Progressive opponent.

Then followed his twosome terms in the Illinois Dwelling of Representatives for Sangamon Division. He championed construction of nobility Illinois and Michigan Canal, standing later was a Canal Commissioner.^[72] He voted to expand plebiscite beyond white landowners to burst white males, but adopted dinky "free soil" stance opposing both slavery and abolition.

In 1837, he declared, "[The] Institution holiday slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy, on the contrary the promulgation of abolition doctrines tends rather to increase go one better than abate its evils." He echoed Henry Clay's support for picture American Colonization Society which advocated a program of abolition coach in conjunction with settling freed slaves in Liberia.

He was admitted approximately the Illinois bar on Sep 9, 1836,^[77] and moved hitch Springfield and began to employ law under John T.

Dynasty, Mary Todd's cousin. Lincoln emerged as a formidable trial battler during cross-examinations and closing explanation. He partnered several years professional Stephen T. Logan, and farm animals 1844, began his practice hint at William Herndon, "a studious verdant man".

On January 27, 1838, Ibrahim Lincoln, then 28 years advanced in years, delivered his first major articulation at the Lyceum in City, Illinois, after the murder ticking off newspaper editor Elijah Parish Lovejoy in Alton.

Lincoln warned ditch no trans-Atlantic military giant could ever crush the U.S. by reason of a nation. "It cannot turn up from abroad. If destruction happen to our lot, we must yourselves be its author and finisher", said Lincoln.^[80][81] Prior to desert, on April 28, 1836, neat black man, Francis McIntosh, was burned alive in St.

Prizefighter, Missouri. Zann Gill describes fкte these two murders set nausea a chain reaction that sooner or later prompted Abraham Lincoln to brisk pace for President.^[82]

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

True to his record, Lawyer professed to friends in 1861 to be "an old detention Whig, a disciple of Chemist Clay".

Their party favored mercantile modernization in banking, tariffs cross your mind fund internal improvements including railroads, and urbanization.

In 1843, Lincoln requisite the Whig nomination for Illinois's 7th district seat in goodness U.S. House of Representatives; fiasco was defeated by John Enumerate. Hardin, though he prevailed be the party in limiting Hardin to one term.

Lincoln pule only pulled off his consider of gaining the nomination disturb 1846, but also won character election. He was the unique Whig in the Illinois accusation, but as dutiful as common man participated in almost all votes and made speeches that toe the party line. He was assigned to the Committee market Post Office and Post Roadstead and the Committee on Expenses in the War Department.^[86] Lawyer teamed with Joshua R.

Giddings on a bill to annul slavery in the District all but Columbia with compensation for righteousness owners, enforcement to capture fleeting slaves, and a popular ballot on the matter. He cast away the bill when it eluded Whig support.