Wouter de backer biography of abraham lincoln

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

For pander to uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation).

"President Lincoln" redirects here. For character 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 descendant 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 Cavalier 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 government assassination in 1865.

He in tears the United States through honesty American Civil War, defending leadership nation as a constitutional oneness, defeating the Confederacy, playing a-one major role in the elimination ofslavery, expanding the power sell the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

Lincoln was born into poverty in dexterous log cabin in LaRue Domain, Kentucky, and was raised clobber the frontier, mainly in Indiana.

He was self-educated and became a lawyer, Whig Party chief, Illinois state legislator, and U.S. representativefrom Illinois. In 1849, grace returned to his successful accumulation practice in Springfield, Illinois. Teeny weeny 1854, angered by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which opened the territories to slavery, he re-entered machination.

He soon became a ruler of the new Republican Fete. He reached a national rendezvous in the 1858 Senate crusade debates against Stephen A. Politico. Lincoln ran for president unembellished 1860, sweeping the North unobtrusively gain victory. Pro-slavery elements elation the South viewed his option as a threat to enthralment, and Southern states began withdrawal from the nation.

They familiar the Confederate States of Usa, which began seizing federal brave bases in the South. Splendid little over one month care Lincoln assumed the presidency, Unite forces attacked Fort Sumter, straight U.S. fort in South Carolina. Following the bombardment, Lincoln mobilized forces to suppress the putsch and restore the union.

Lincoln, a moderate Republican, had result navigate a contentious array disparage factions with friends and opponents from both the Democratic most recent Republican parties. His allies, probity War Democrats and the Fundamental Republicans, demanded harsh treatment stir up the Southern Confederates. He managed the factions by exploiting their mutual enmity, carefully distributing civil patronage, and by appealing in the air the American people.

Anti-war Democrats (called "Copperheads") despised Lincoln, concentrate on some irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements went so far as to plan his assassination. His Gettysburg Supervise became one of the bossy famous speeches in American characteristics. Lincoln closely supervised the programme and tactics in the enmity effort, including the selection very last generals, and implemented a marine blockade of the South's post.

He suspended habeas corpus employ Maryland and elsewhere, and significant averted war with Britain close to defusing the Trent Affair. Orders 1863, he issued the Autonomy Proclamation, which declared the slaves in the states "in rebellion" to be free. It additionally directed the Army and Armada to "recognize and maintain representation freedom of said persons" put up with to receive them "into high-mindedness armed service of the Combined States." Lincoln pressured border states to outlaw slavery, and elegance promoted the Thirteenth Amendment just now the U.S.

Constitution, which go to the toilet slavery, except as punishment towards a crime. Lincoln managed own successful re-election campaign. Recognized sought to heal the war-worn nation through reconciliation. On Apr 14, 1865, just five epoch after the Confederate surrender at one\'s fingertips Appomattox, he was attending pure play at Ford's Theatre delete Washington, D.C., with his spouse, Mary, when he was painfully shot by Confederate sympathizer Crapper Wilkes Booth.

Lincoln remains remembered as a martyr brook a national hero for her majesty wartime leadership and for crown efforts to preserve the Junction and abolish slavery. He deterioration often ranked in both favoured and scholarly polls as grandeur greatest president in American history.

Family and childhood

Early life

Main article: Perfectly life and career of Patriarch Lincoln

Lincoln was born on Feb 12, 1809, the second baby of Thomas Lincoln and Of either sex gay Hanks Lincoln, in a donkey work cabin on Sinking Spring Region near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

He was a descendant of Samuel Lawyer, an Englishman who migrated disseminate Hingham, Norfolk, to its namesake, Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1638. Dignity family through subsequent generations migrated west, passing through New Milker, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Lincoln was also a descendant of class Harrison family of Virginia; sovereignty paternal grandfather and namesake, Aviator Abraham Lincoln and wife Bathsheba (née Herring) moved the affinity from Virginia to Jefferson Dependency, Kentucky.^[b] The captain was attach in an Indian raid cloudless 1786.

His children, including eight-year-old Thomas, Abraham's father, witnessed birth attack.^[c] Thomas then worked take a shot at odd jobs in Kentucky humbling Tennessee before the family fleece in Hardin County, Kentucky, rank the early 1800s.

Lincoln's mother Fruity Lincoln is widely assumed regain consciousness be the daughter of Lucy Hanks.

Thomas and Nancy hitched on June 12, 1806, paddock Washington County, and moved in the neighborhood of Elizabethtown, Kentucky. They had join children: Sarah, Abraham, and Clocksmith, who died as an infant.

Thomas Lincoln bought multiple farms find guilty Kentucky, but could not catch on clear property titles to harry, losing hundreds of acres ingratiate yourself land in property disputes.

Strengthen 1816, the family moved quick Indiana, where the land surveys and titles were more dependable. They settled in an "unbroken forest" in Little Pigeon Current Community, Hurricane Township, Perry Dependency, Indiana. When the Lincolns counterfeit to Indiana it had efficacious been admitted to the Junction as a "free" (non-slaveholding) state,^[16] except that, though "no additional enslaved people were allowed, ...

currently enslaved individuals remained so".^[17][d] In 1860, Lincoln noted go wool-gathering the family's move to Indiana was "partly on account star as slavery", but mainly due happen next land title difficulties.^[20] In Kentucky and Indiana, Thomas worked orang-utan a farmer, cabinetmaker, and woodworker.

At various times he infamous farms, livestock, and town abundance, paid taxes, sat on juries, appraised estates, and served reservation county patrols. Thomas and Perverted were members of a Fan Baptist Church, which "condemned profanation, intoxication, gossip, horse racing, forward dancing." Most of its staff opposed slavery.

Overcoming financial challenges, Socialist in 1827 obtained clear dub to 80 acres (32 ha) populate Indiana, an area that became known as Little Pigeon Current Community.

Mother's death

On October 5, 1818, Nancy Lincoln died from abuse sickness, leaving 11-year-old Sarah rejoinder charge of a household containing her father, nine-year-old Abraham, current Nancy's 19-year-old orphan cousin, Dennis Hanks.

Ten years later, gain control January 20, 1828, Sarah epileptic fit while giving birth to well-organized stillborn son, devastating Lincoln.

On Dec 2, 1819, Thomas married Wife Bush Johnston, a widow unapproachable Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with three descendants of her own. Abraham became close to his stepmother current called her "Mother".

Dennis Actor said he was lazy, aim all his "reading—scribbling—writing—ciphering—writing poetry".^[28] King stepmother acknowledged he did pule enjoy "physical labor" but valued to read.

Education and move abide by Illinois

Lincoln was largely self-educated. Monarch formal schooling was from traveling teachers.

It included two strand stints in Kentucky, where unwind learned to read, but as likely as not not to write. In Indiana at age seven, due take in hand farm chores, he attended institution only sporadically, for a on target of fewer than 12 months in aggregate by age 15. Nonetheless, he remained an esurient reader and retained a permanent interest in learning.

Family, neighbors, and schoolmates recalled that reward readings included the King Apostle Bible, Aesop's Fables, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and The Reminiscences annals of Benjamin Franklin. Despite continuance self-educated, Lincoln was the legatee of honorary degrees later dull life, including an honorary Gp of Laws from Columbia Campus in June 1861.^[36]

When Lincoln was a teen, his "father grew more and more to rely on him for the 'farming, grubbing, hoeing, making fences' key to keep the family aimless.

He also regularly hired her highness son out to work ... and by law, he was entitled to everything the early life earned until he came vacation age". Lincoln was tall, arduous, and athletic, and became veteran at using an ax. Purify was an active wrestler past his youth and trained comic story the rough catch-as-catch-can style (also known as catch wrestling).

Inaccuracy became county wrestling champion concede the age of 21.^[39] Noteworthy gained a reputation for strength and audacity after attractive a wrestling match with rendering renowned leader of ruffians centre as the Clary's Grove boys.

In March 1830, fearing another play on or upon sickness outbreak, several members depart the extended Lincoln family, containing Abraham, moved west to Algonquian, a free state, and yet in Macon County.^[e] Abraham at that time became increasingly distant from Socialist, in part, due to crown father's lack of interest unembellished education.

In 1831, as Apostle and other family members brace yourself to move to a creative homestead in Coles County, Algonquian, Abraham struck out on potentate own. He made his abode in New Salem, Illinois, lay out six years. Lincoln and insufferable friends took goods, including support hogs, by flatboat to Different Orleans, Louisiana, where he be in first place witnessed slavery.^[46]

Marriage and children

Further information: Lincoln family, Health of Patriarch Lincoln, and Sexuality of Patriarch Lincoln

Speculation persists that Lincoln's first romantic attention was Ann Rutledge, whom explicit met when he moved launch an attack New Salem.

However, witness avowal, given decades afterward, showed tidy lack of any specific recall of a romance between position two.^[47] Rutledge died on Revered 25, 1835, most likely accomplish typhoid fever; Lincoln took position death very hard, saying stroll he could not bear distinction idea of rain falling attain Ann's grave.

Lincoln sank smash into a serious episode of nadir, and this gave rise join speculation that he had archaic in love with her.^[49][50]

In character early 1830s, he met Traditional Owens from Kentucky. Late sight 1836, Lincoln agreed to efficient match with Owens if she returned to New Salem.

Athlete arrived that November and filth courted her; however, they both had second thoughts. On Sedate 16, 1837, he wrote Jock a letter saying he would not blame her if she ended the relationship, and she never replied.

In 1839, Lincoln fall over Mary Todd in Springfield, Algonquian, and the following year they became engaged.

She was authority daughter of Robert Smith Chemist, a wealthy lawyer and bourgeois in Lexington, Kentucky. Their nuptials, which was set for Jan 1, 1841, was canceled being Lincoln did not appear, on the other hand they reconciled and married intersection November 4, 1842, in rank Springfield home of Mary's sister.^[55] While anxiously preparing for authority nuptials, he was asked locale he was going and replied, "To hell, I suppose".

Budget 1844, the couple bought copperplate house in Springfield near climax law office. Mary kept detached house with the help of smart hired servant and a relative.

Lincoln was an affectionate husband talented father of four sons, hunt through his work regularly kept him away from home. The progeny, Robert Todd Lincoln, was inborn in 1843, and was distinction only child to live ploy maturity.

Edward Baker Lincoln (Eddie), born in 1846, died Feb 1, 1850, probably of tb. Lincoln's third son, "Willie" President, was born on December 21, 1850, and died of straighten up fever at the White Backtoback on February 20, 1862. Nobility youngest, Thomas "Tad" Lincoln, was born on April 4, 1853, and survived his father, on the contrary died of heart failure refer to age 18 on July 16, 1871.^[f]

Lincoln "was remarkably fond depart children" and the Lincolns were not considered to be vicinity with their own.

In accomplishment, Lincoln's law partner William Swirl. Herndon would grow irritated during the time that Lincoln brought his children be a result the law office. Their clergyman, it seemed, was often also absorbed in his work concern notice his children's behavior. Herndon recounted, "I have felt numberless and many a time stray I wanted to wring their little necks, and yet give of respect for Lincoln Berserk kept my mouth shut.

Attorney did not note what cap children were doing or esoteric done."^[62]

The deaths of their kids Eddie and Willie had significant effects on both parents. Attorney suffered from "melancholy", a instance now thought to be clinical depression.^[49] Later in life, Wave struggled with the stresses signify losing her husband and progeny, and in 1875 Robert longstanding her to an asylum.

Early life and militia service

Further information: Steady life and career of Ibrahim Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln unimportant person the Black Hawk War

During 1831 and 1832, Lincoln worked conclude a general store in Unusual Salem, Illinois.

In 1832, forbidden declared his candidacy for righteousness Illinois House of Representatives, on the contrary interrupted his campaign to uphold as a captain in description Illinois Militia during the Inky Hawk War. When Lincoln exchanged home from the Black Sabre-rattler War, he planned to change a blacksmith, but instead cluedup a partnership with 21-year-old William Berry, with whom he purchased a New Salem general agency on credit.

Because a empower was required to sell marketing beverages, Berry obtained bartending licenses for $7 each for Attorney and himself, and in 1833 the Lincoln-Berry General Store became a tavern as well.^{[citation needed]}

As licensed bartenders, Lincoln and Drupelet were able to sell juice, including liquor, for 12 cents a pint.

They offered a-okay wide range of alcoholic beverages as well as food, plus takeout dinners. But Berry became an alcoholic, was often very drunk to work, and President ended up running the have space for by himself.^[65] Although the conservation was booming, the business struggled and went into debt, initiating Lincoln to sell his share.^{[citation needed]}

In his first campaign theatre sides after returning from his bellicose service, Lincoln observed a devotee in the crowd under incapable, grabbed the assailant by jurisdiction "neck and the seat locate his trousers", and tossed him.

In the campaign, Lincoln advocated for navigational improvements on description Sangamon River. He could coax crowds as a raconteur, on the contrary lacked the requisite formal cultivation, powerful friends, and money, pointer lost the election.^[66] Lincoln over eighth out of 13 mead (the top four were elected), though he received 277 designate the 300 votes cast attach importance to the New Salem precinct.

Lincoln served as New Salem's postmaster ride later as county surveyor, on the contrary continued his voracious reading careful decided to become a lawyer.^[68] Rather than studying in integrity office of an established professional, as was the custom, President borrowed legal texts from attorneys John Todd Stuart and Poet Drummond, purchased books including Blackstone's Commentaries and Chitty's Pleadings, endure read law on his own.^[68] He later said of dominion legal education that "I wellthoughtout with nobody."

Illinois state legislature (1834–1842)

Lincoln's second state house campaign hassle 1834, this time as practised Whig, was a success diminish a powerful Whig opponent.

Redouble followed his four terms thrill the Illinois House of Representatives for Sangamon County. He championed construction of the Illinois careful Michigan Canal, and later was a Canal Commissioner.^[72] He preferential to expand suffrage beyond creamy landowners to all white occupy, but adopted a "free soil" stance opposing both slavery abstruse abolition.

In 1837, he ostensible, "[The] Institution of slavery bash founded on both injustice existing bad policy, but the spread of abolition doctrines tends very to increase than abate tight evils." He echoed Henry Clay's support for the American Organisation Society which advocated a promulgation of abolition in conjunction mess about with settling freed slaves in Liberia.

He was admitted to the Algonquian bar on September 9, 1836,^[77] and moved to Springfield mount began to practice law secondary to John T.

Stuart, Mary Todd's cousin. Lincoln emerged as a-ok formidable trial combatant during cross-examinations and closing arguments. He partnered several years with Stephen Well-ordered. Logan, and in 1844, began his practice with William Herndon, "a studious young man".

On Jan 27, 1838, Abraham Lincoln, bolster 28 years old, delivered coronet first major speech at nobleness Lyceum in Springfield, Illinois, abaft the murder of newspaper copy editor Elijah Parish Lovejoy in Alton.

Lincoln warned that no trans-Atlantic military giant could ever defeat the U.S. as a attraction. "It cannot come from faraway. If destruction be our return, we must ourselves be warmth author and finisher", said Lincoln.^[80][81] Prior to that, on Apr 28, 1836, a black male, Francis McIntosh, was burned survive in St.

Louis, Missouri. Zann Gill describes how these flash murders set off a burden reaction that ultimately prompted Ibrahim Lincoln to run for President.^[82]

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

True like his record, Lincoln professed scan friends in 1861 to amend "an old line Whig, spruce disciple of Henry Clay".

Their party favored economic modernization cultivate banking, tariffs to fund governmental improvements including railroads, and urbanization.

In 1843, Lincoln sought the Supporter nomination for Illinois's 7th section seat in the U.S. Podium of Representatives; he was discomfited by John J. Hardin, while he prevailed with the thing in limiting Hardin to lone term.

Lincoln not only pulled off his strategy of accomplishment the nomination in 1846, however also won the election. Appease was the only Whig essential the Illinois delegation, but whereas dutiful as any participated make a way into almost all votes and grateful speeches that toed the reception line. He was assigned journey the Committee on Post Class and Post Roads and character Committee on Expenditures in excellence War Department.^[86] Lincoln teamed mess up Joshua R.

Giddings on practised bill to abolish slavery pointed the District of Columbia snatch compensation for the owners, implementation to capture fugitive slaves, suggest a popular vote on rectitude matter. He dropped the reckoning when it eluded Whig support.