Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the country through the American Civil War, helping to defeat the Confederate States and playing a major role in the abolition of slavery.

Born in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky, Lincoln grew up on the frontier. He was self-educated and became a lawyer, Illinois state legislator, and later a U.S. representative. He became a leader of the Republican Party and was elected president in 1860, becoming the first Republican to hold that office. His election led many slave states to secede and start the Civil War after Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter.

During the war, Lincoln supervised the Union's strategy, issued the Emancipation Proclamation to declare slaves free, and gave the famous Gettysburg Address. He also worked for the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which ended chattel slavery. After being re-elected in 1864, he began working on Reconstruction to heal the nation.

Lincoln is remembered as a national hero for preserving the Union and working to end slavery. He is consistently ranked among the greatest presidents in American history.

Family and childhood

Main article: Early life and career of Abraham Lincoln

Further information: Lincoln family

Abraham Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky on February 12, 1809. He was the second child of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. His family moved to Indiana in 1816, where they settled on a farm. Lincoln’s father worked as a farmer and carpenter.

Lincoln had little formal schooling but loved to read and learn on his own. As a teenager, he helped his father on the farm and worked for others to earn money. Later, he moved to Illinois and lived in New Salem. He worked in a store, served as a postmaster, and studied law by himself. He eventually became a lawyer.

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

Lincoln married Mary Todd in 1842. They had four sons, but only the oldest, Robert Todd Lincoln, lived to adulthood. The family faced sadness with the deaths of their other children, which affected Lincoln deeply.

Early political offices and prairie lawyer

Lincoln began his political career by being elected to the Illinois state legislature. He served four terms and worked on important projects like building the Illinois and Michigan Canal. He also helped move the state capital to Springfield.

Later, Lincoln was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he spoke against the Mexican–American War and supported ideas to limit slavery. After his time in Congress, Lincoln became a lawyer in Springfield. He handled many different kinds of cases, including disputes about rivers and bridges. One famous case was when he helped prove a man was not guilty of murder by showing the moon was not bright enough for the witness to see clearly.

Republican politics (1854–1860)

Main article: Political career of Abraham Lincoln (1849–1861)

Tensions over slavery grew between the Southern states, which allowed slavery, and the Northern states, which did not. In 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas introduced a law called the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which allowed people in new territories to decide if they wanted slavery. This upset many people in the North who wanted to stop slavery from spreading. Abraham Lincoln spoke out against this law and began to speak more about stopping the spread of slavery.

Because of these disagreements, the old political party Lincoln belonged to, the Whigs, split apart. A new party formed called the Republican Party, which was against slavery. Lincoln decided to join this new party. In 1858, Lincoln ran for the U.S. Senate against Douglas and spoke about how the country could not remain half slave and half free. Though he did not win that election, his speeches made him well known.

In 1860, Lincoln was nominated to be the Republican candidate for president. He was elected in November of that year, becoming the first Republican president. His victory was certain in the Northern and Western states, though he did not receive any votes in ten Southern states.

Presidency (1861–1865)

Main article: Presidency of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln became the 16th President of the United States in 1861. His presidency was marked by the American Civil War, a major conflict between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states (the Confederacy) that had decided to leave the United States. Lincoln led the country through this difficult time, working to keep the nation united and to end slavery.

Lincoln was faced with many challenges, including managing a war that involved many battles and strategic decisions. He worked closely with military leaders to guide the Union's efforts. One of his most important actions was the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863, which declared that slaves in the Confederate states were free. This changed the focus of the war to include ending slavery, in addition to preserving the Union. His leadership and efforts helped bring the war to an end in 1865, though he was tragically assassinated shortly after.

Assassination

Main article: Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor and Confederate supporter, decided to kill President Abraham Lincoln after hearing his speech about giving some Black men the right to vote. On the night of April 14, 1865, Booth shot Lincoln while he was watching a play at Ford's Theatre. Lincoln was badly hurt and taken across the street to a house where he stayed unconscious for nine hours before passing away early the next morning, April 15. Booth tried to escape but was later shot and killed by soldiers.

Funeral and burial

Main article: State funeral of Abraham Lincoln

After Lincoln's death, his body was laid in state in the White House and then the Capitol rotunda. His casket traveled by a special funeral train for two weeks from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois. Many people came to honor him along the way, and his body was finally buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, inside the Lincoln Tomb.

Philosophy and views

Lincoln changed the political philosophy of republicanism in the United States. He believed that the Declaration of Independence, which says that all people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, was very important. He called it the "sheet anchor" of republicanism, meaning it was a strong support for his beliefs.

As a Whig activist, Lincoln supported business interests. He liked high taxes on imports, banks, better roads, and railroads. Even though he admired Andrew Jackson for his strong character, he also believed in the power of ordinary people. Historians note that Lincoln's views absorbed some ideas from Jacksonian democracy.

Religious views

Main article: Religious views of Abraham Lincoln

When Lincoln was young, he did not strongly believe in religion. However, he knew the Bible well and often used its words in his speeches, like the House Divided Speech, the Gettysburg Address, and his second inaugural address. After the death of his son Edward in 1850, Lincoln began to talk more about depending on God. He never joined a church, but he and his wife attended services at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Illinois, and later at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. People have different ideas about what Lincoln believed about religion, and some think he may have grown more spiritual later in life.

Health and appearance

Main article: Health of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was known for being tall and strong. He liked sports such as jumping and wrestling when he was young. His clothes were often simple and rough because he lived on the frontier.

Lincoln was very tall, standing six feet four inches, and had a high-pitched voice. He grew a beard in 1860 after an 11-year-old girl suggested it, making him the first U.S. president to have one. Some people thought he didn’t look very handsome, but others admired his appearance. He faced health challenges, including illnesses like smallpox and malaria.

Legacy

Main article: Memorials to Abraham Lincoln

See also: Cultural depictions of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is remembered as one of America’s greatest presidents. Scholars often rank him among the top presidents for his leadership during a time of great struggle for the country. He is admired for his role in ending slavery and preserving the United States as one nation.

Lincoln’s face appears on many things, including the American penny and the five-dollar bill. He is also featured on stamps in many countries around the world. Memorials to Lincoln can be found in many places, such as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and his carved face on Mount Rushmore. Cities and towns are named after him, and ships have been named in his honor. Movies and books often show him as a kind and wise leader.