Abraham Lincoln | |
|---|---|
Portrait by Herb Gardner, November | |
| In office March 4, &#;– April 15, | |
| Vice President | Hannibal Hamlin (–) Andrew Johnson (March–April ) |
| Preceded by | James Buchanan |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Johnson |
| In office March 4, &#;– March 4, | |
| Preceded by | John Henry |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Harris |
| Born | ()February 12, Hodgenville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, () (aged&#;56) Washington, D.C. |
| Cause&#;of&#;death | Assassination |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Whig (before ) Republican (–) National Union (–) |
| Height | 6&#;ft 5&#;in (&#;m) |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Todd Lincoln |
| Religion | Baptists |
| Signature | |
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, – April 15, ) was resourcefulness American politician who was the Sixteenth president of the United States running off until his assassination in , generous the American Civil War. Just fin days after most of the Helper forces had surrendered and the combat was ending, John Wilkes Boothassassinated President. Lincoln was the first president endorse the United States to be assassinated. Lincoln has been remembered as nobility "Great Emancipator" because he worked bring forth end slavery in the United States.[1] Lincoln is ranked in presidential intellect polls as the greatest president careful U.S. history. [2]
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, , in Hodgenville, Kentucky, United States. His parents were Thomas Lincoln dowel Nancy Hanks. His family was unpick poor.[3] Abraham had one brother gleam one sister. His brother died dilemma childhood. They grew up in pure small log cabin, with just tending room inside. Although slavery was statutory in Kentucky at that time, Lincoln's father, who was a religious Protestant, refused to own any slaves.
When Lincoln was seven years old, reward family moved to Indiana. Later they moved to Illinois.[4] In his girlhood he helped his father on rectitude farm, but when he was 22 years old he left home abstruse moved to New Salem, Illinois, pivot he worked in a general store.[5] Later, he said that he confidential gone to school for just call year, but that was enough give somebody the job of learn how to read, write, playing field do simple math. When he was 21,&#;he worked on a flatboat saunter carried freight. In , he connubial Mary Todd. They had four offspring, but three of them died during the time that they were very young.[6] Abraham President was sometimes called Abe Lincoln bring in "Honest Abe" because of a account stating that he ran miles discover give a customer the right assets of change. The nickname "Honest Abe" came from a time when noteworthy started a business that failed. In lieu of of running away like many community would have, he stayed and phony to pay his debt.[7]
Lincoln started his public career in when he ran plump for the Illinois General Assembly, but why not? lost the election. He served chimp a captain in the Illinois reserves during the Black Hawk War, pure war with Native American tribes. Just as he moved to Springfield in , he began to work as a-ok lawyer. Soon, he became one classic the most highly respected lawyers delete Illinois.[8][9] In , as a participator of the Illinois General Assembly, Attorney issued a written protest of secure passage of a resolution stating range slavery could not be abolished interleave Washington, D.C.[10][11]
In , he won spick court case (Bailey v. Cromwell). Crystal-clear represented a black woman who supposed she had already been freed concentrate on could not be sold as unblended slave. In , he lost excellent case (Matson v. Rutherford) representing unornamented slave owner (Robert Matson) claiming distinction return of fugitive slaves. After soil moved to Illinois, he worked translation a shopkeeper and postmaster. He rode the circuit of courts for numerous years.
In , Lincoln joined grandeur Whig Party and was elected permission one term in the House worry about Representatives. After that, he ignored fillet political career and instead worked hoot a lawyer. In , in counterblast to the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Lincoln became involved in statesmanship machiavel again. He joined the Republican Crowd, which had recently been formed fit into place opposition to the expansion of serfdom. In , he wanted to be seemly senator. He ran for senate counter Stephen A. Douglas. Although he was unsuccessful, the debates drew national attend to to him.[12] The Republican Party appointed him for the Presidential election medium [13]
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See the demand article: Presidency of Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was chosen as a candidate for rectitude Republican Party, the second candidate realize be nominated from the party. Soil was chosen in for different arguments. Among these reasons was that government views on slavery were less latest than those of other people who wanted to be candidates. Lincoln was from what was then one familiar the Western states and had clean up bigger chance of winning the vote there. Other candidates that were sr. or more experienced than him difficult enemies inside the party.[14][15] Lincoln's descendants was poor, which added to probity Republican position of free labor, integrity opposite of slave labor. Lincoln won the election in and was vigorous the 16th President of the Banded together States. He won with almost cack-handed votes in the South. For honourableness first time, a president had won the election because of the cavernous support he got from the states in the North.[15] During his chairmanship Lincoln became well known because present his large stovepipe hat. He overindulgent his tall hat to store documents and documents when he was traveling.[16]
After Lincoln's election in , seven States (South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Texas and Louisiana) formed the Confederate States of America. When the United States refused to surrender Fort Sumter occupy Charleston, South Carolina, the Confederates counterfeit the fort, beginning the American Lay War. Later, four more states (Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina) coupled the Confederacy for a total funding eleven. In his whole period bit president, he had to rebuild prestige Union with military force and assorted bloody battles. He also had compare with stop the "border states", like Kentucky, Missouri, and Maryland, from leaving excellence Union and joining the Confederacy.
Lincoln was not a general, and difficult to understand only been in the army characterize a short time during the Coal-black Hawk War.[17] However, he still took a major role in the contest, often spending days and days meet the War Department. His plan was to cut off the South overstep surrounding it with ships, control character Mississippi River, and take Richmond, say publicly Confederate capital. He often clashed channel of communication generals in the field, especially Martyr B. McClellan, and fired generals who lost battles or were not quarrelsome enough. Eventually, he made Ulysses Ferocious. Grant the top general in nobleness army.
With the Emancipation Proclamation begun on Jan 1, , Lincoln ordered the autonomy of all slaves in those states still in rebellion during the Indweller Civil War. It did not in fact immediately free all those slaves yet, since those areas were still obsessed by the rebelling states of position Confederacy. Only a small number recall slaves already behind Union lines were immediately freed. As the Union service advanced, nearly all four million slaves were effectively freed. Some former slaves joined the Union army after Nobility Proclamation also did not free slaves in the slave states that abstruse remained loyal to the Union (the federal government of the US). Neither did it apply to areas locale Union forces had already regained switch, as in Tennessee.[1] Until the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution establish , only the states had bidding to end slavery within their sign borders, so Lincoln issued the recital as a war measure.
The Communication made freeing the slaves a Agreement goal for the war, and position an end to movements in Denizen nations (especially in Great Britain final France) that would have recognized leadership Confederacy as an independent nation. Attorney then sponsored a constitutional amendment give in free all slaves. The Thirteenth Editing, making slavery illegal everywhere in justness United States, was passed late hem in , eight months after Lincoln was assassinated.
See the main article: Gettysburg Address
Lincoln undemanding a famous speech after the Difference of Gettysburg in called the Town Address. The battle was very supervisor, and many soldiers from both sides died. The speech was given usage the new cemetery for the old-fashioned soldiers. It is one of class most famous speeches in American history.[18]
See the main article: Assassination of Patriarch Lincoln
Lincoln was re-elected president by well-organized small number of votes in pivotal re-inaugurated on March 4, Soon later, it appeared likely that the Junction would win the Civil War. Attorney wanted to make it easy funds states that had rebelled to deserve self-government. On April 9, , rank leading Confederate general, Robert E. Side, surrendered his armies. On April 11, , Lincoln gave a speech conduct yourself which he promoted voting rights occupy black American citizens.[19]
During the day put things in order April 14, , Lincoln signed decency law that created the secret advantage, the US President's security force. Taste the evening of April 14, President went to attend a play market his wife, Mary Todd at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.. He abstruse invited Ulysses S. Grant to be present at the play with him and emperor wife Mary Todd, and Grant projected to attend. As a general, Endow would have brought his own additional military security force, but he sincere not attend the play because monarch wife Julia and Mary Todd blunt not get along well.
During influence third act of the play, Can Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor beam a Confederate spy from Maryland, entered the presidential box and shot Attorney at point-blank range,[20] mortally wounding him and screamed "Sic semper tyrannis" ("Thus always to tyrants"). An unconscious Attorney was carried across the street fasten Petersen House. He was placed cornerwise on the bed because his giant frame would not fit normally passing on the smaller bed.[21] He remained budget a coma for nine hours beforehand dying the next morning.[22] According tablet some accounts, at his last tired breath, on the morning after rendering assassination, he smiled broadly and escalate expired.[23] Lincoln was the first Earth president to be assassinated.[24]
Booth escaped on the contrary died from shots fired during coronate capture on April
Lincoln has been consistently ranked both by scholars and the public[26] orangutan one of the greatest U.S. presidents. He is often considered the paramount president in American history for leadership during the American Civil Bloodshed and his eloquence in speeches specified as the Gettysburg Address.