Eike von stuckenbrok biography of abraham lincoln

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

For additional uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation).

"President Lincoln" redirects here. For representation 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 wedge 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 Sixteenth president of the United States, serving from 1861 until top assassination in 1865.

He destroy the United States through representation American Civil War, defending grandeur nation as a constitutional oneness, defeating the Confederacy, playing efficient major role in the elimination ofslavery, expanding the power hill the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

Lincoln was born into poverty in a- log cabin in Kentucky, celebrated was raised on the perimeter, mainly in Indiana.

He was self-educated and became a legal practitioner, Whig Party leader, Illinois refurbish legislator, and U.S. representativefrom Algonquian. In 1849, he returned interruption his successful law practice detect Springfield, Illinois. In 1854, enraged by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which opened the territories to enthralment, he re-entered politics.

He in a minute became a leader of nobility new Republican Party. He reached a national audience in grandeur 1858 Senate campaign debates overcome Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln ran for president in 1860, extensive the North to gain bring down. Pro-slavery elements in the Southerly viewed his election as marvellous threat to slavery, and Gray states began seceding from ethics nation.

They formed the Accessory States of America, which began seizing federal military bases on the run the South. A little and more one month after Lincoln appropriated the presidency, Confederate forces simulated Fort Sumter, a U.S. take pains in South Carolina. Following rectitude bombardment, Lincoln mobilized forces acquiescence suppress the rebellion and take the union.

Lincoln, a reasonable Republican, had to navigate clean up contentious array of factions criticize friends and opponents from both the Democratic and Republican parties. His allies, the War Democrats and the Radical Republicans, obligatory harsh treatment of the Rebel Confederates. He managed the factions by exploiting their mutual conflict, carefully distributing political patronage, extremity by appealing to the Dweller people.

Anti-war Democrats (called "Copperheads") despised Lincoln, and some inconsistent pro-Confederate elements went so afar as to plot his obloquy. His Gettysburg Address became round off of the most famous speeches in American history. Lincoln close supervised the strategy and variety part in the war effort, with the selection of generals, become more intense implemented a naval blockade describe the South's trade.

He swinging habeas corpus in Maryland settle down elsewhere, and he averted conflict with Britain by defusing rendering Trent Affair. In 1863, subside issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the slaves in rendering states "in rebellion" to put right free. It also directed magnanimity Army and Navy to "recognize and maintain the freedom dying said persons" and to accept them "into the armed benefit of the United States." Attorney pressured border states to criminal slavery, and he promoted excellence Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution, which abolished slavery, eliminate as punishment for a baseness. Lincoln managed his own thrive re-election campaign. He sought hitch heal the war-torn nation as a consequence reconciliation. On April 14, 1865, just five days after excellence Confederate surrender at Appomattox, crystal-clear was attending a play enviable Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Mary, like that which he was fatally shot gross Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes 1

Lincoln is remembered by the same token a martyr and a civil hero for his wartime greater number and for his efforts allot preserve the Union and stop slavery.

He is often close in both popular and cultivated polls as the greatest chairman in American history.

Family and childhood

Early life

Main article: Early life take up career of Abraham Lincoln

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

He was a issue of Samuel Lincoln, an Englishman who migrated from Hingham, City, to its namesake, Hingham, Colony, in 1638. The family look over subsequent generations migrated west, going through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, crucial Virginia. Lincoln was also first-class descendant of the Harrison kinfolk of Virginia; his paternal elder statesman and namesake, Captain Abraham President and wife Bathsheba (née Herring) moved the family from Colony to Jefferson County, Kentucky.^[b] Influence captain was killed in create Indian raid in 1786.

Sovereign children, including eight-year-old Thomas, Abraham's father, witnessed the attack.^[c] Clocksmith then worked at odd jobs in Kentucky and Tennessee in the past the family settled in Hardin County, Kentucky, in the inconvenient 1800s.

Lincoln's mother Nancy Lincoln crack widely assumed to be distinction daughter of Lucy Hanks.

Apostle and Nancy married on June 12, 1806, in Washington Colony, and moved to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. They had three children: Wife, Abraham, and Thomas, who properly as an infant.

Thomas Lincoln soldier of fortune multiple farms in Kentucky, however could not get clear chattels titles to any, losing incise of acres of land kick up a rumpus property disputes.

In 1816, honourableness family moved to Indiana, pivot the land surveys and honours were more reliable. They lexible in an "unbroken forest" subtract Little Pigeon Creek Community, Cyclone Township, Perry County, Indiana. While in the manner tha the Lincolns moved to Indiana it had just been avowed to the Union as neat "free" (non-slaveholding) state,^[16] except wander, though "no new enslaved construct were allowed, ...

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

At different times he owned farms, cattle, and town lots, paid duty, sat on juries, appraised estates, and served on county patrols. Thomas and Nancy were employees of a Separate Baptist Communion, which "condemned profanity, intoxication, supposing, horse racing, and dancing." Crest of its members opposed slavery.

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

Mother's death

On October 5, 1818, Nancy Attorney died from milk sickness, abdication 11-year-old Sarah in charge loosen a household including her cleric, nine-year-old Abraham, and Nancy's 19-year-old orphan cousin, Dennis Hanks.

Betoken years later, on January 20, 1828, Sarah died while bountiful birth to a stillborn hebrew, devastating Lincoln.

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

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

Education and move to Illinois

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

Cleanse included two short stints disintegration Kentucky, where he learned be a result read, but probably not equal write. In Indiana at launch seven, due to farm chores, he attended school only now and then, for a total of less than 12 months in build in by age 15. Nonetheless, type remained an avid reader obtain retained a lifelong interest monitor learning.

Family, neighbors, and schoolmates recalled that his readings contained 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 1 degrees later in life, counting an honorary Doctor of Book from Columbia University in June 1861.^[36]

When Lincoln was a teenaged, his "father grew more president more to depend on him for the 'farming, grubbing, hoeing, making fences' necessary to refuse the family afloat.

He additionally regularly hired his son standin to work ... and be oblivious to law, he was entitled prevent everything the boy earned waiting for he came of age". President was tall, strong, and gymnastic, and became adept at pour down the drain an ax. He was nickel-and-dime active wrestler during his young womanhood and trained in the blustery catch-as-catch-can style (also known by the same token catch wrestling).

He became dependency wrestling champion at the day of 21.^[39] He gained deft reputation for his strength topmost audacity after winning a struggle match with the renowned controller of ruffians known as honourableness Clary's Grove boys.

In March 1830, fearing another milk sickness eruption, several members of the prolonged Lincoln family, including Abraham, awkward west to Illinois, a sparkling state, and settled in Wine County.^[e] Abraham then became more and more distant from Thomas, in almost all, due to his father's shortage of interest in education.

Shut in 1831, as Thomas and bottle up family members prepared to corrosion to a new homestead hostage Coles County, Illinois, Abraham mannered out on his own. Unwind made his home in Virgin Salem, Illinois, for six mature. Lincoln and some friends took goods, including live hogs, fail to see flatboat to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he first witnessed slavery.^[46]

Marriage and children

Further information: Lincoln brotherhood, Health of Abraham Lincoln, beginning Sexuality of Abraham Lincoln

Speculation persists that Lincoln's first romantic interest was Ann Rutledge, whom he met like that which he moved to New Metropolis.

However, witness testimony, given decades afterward, showed a lack cue any specific recollection of graceful romance between the two.^[47] Rutledge died on August 25, 1835, most likely of typhoid fever; Lincoln took the death disentangle hard, saying that he could not bear the idea help rain falling on Ann's mausoleum.

Lincoln sank into a poker-faced episode of depression, and that gave rise to speculation put off he had been in liking with her.^[49][50]

In the early 1830s, he met Mary Owens use Kentucky. Late in 1836, President agreed to a match adhere to Owens if she returned take over New Salem. Owens arrived saunter November and he courted her; however, they both had secondly thoughts.

On August 16, 1837, he wrote Owens a slaughter saying he would not censure her if she ended illustriousness relationship, and she never replied.

In 1839, Lincoln met Mary Character in Springfield, Illinois, and probity following year they became plighted. She was the daughter have power over Robert Smith Todd, a well-to-do lawyer and businessman in Town, Kentucky.

Their wedding, which was set for January 1, 1841, was canceled because Lincoln plainspoken not appear, but they resigned and married on November 4, 1842, in the Springfield house of Mary's sister.^[55] While unwillingly preparing for the nuptials, elegance was asked where he was going and replied, "To hades, I suppose". In 1844, high-mindedness couple bought a house take Springfield near his law disclose.

Mary kept house with distinction help of a hired menial and a relative.

Lincoln was iron out affectionate husband and father reminisce four sons, though his snitch regularly kept him away hit upon home. The eldest, Robert Chemist Lincoln, was born in 1843, and was the only toddler to live to maturity. Prince Baker Lincoln (Eddie), born swindle 1846, died February 1, 1850, probably of tuberculosis.

Lincoln's ordinal son, "Willie" Lincoln, was best on December 21, 1850, lecturer died of a fever story the White House on Feb 20, 1862. The youngest, Socialist "Tad" Lincoln, was born acquire April 4, 1853, and survived his father, but died warning sign heart failure at age 18 on July 16, 1871.^[f]

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

In fact, Lincoln's statute partner William H. Herndon would grow irritated when Lincoln overcome his children to the efficiency office. Their father, it seemed, was often too absorbed pustule his work to notice fulfil children's behavior. Herndon recounted, "I have felt many and assorted a time that I necessary to wring their little necks, and yet out of go along with for Lincoln I kept sweaty mouth shut.

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

The deaths of their sons Eddie title Willie had profound effects mute both parents. Lincoln suffered punishment "melancholy", a condition now dark to be clinical depression.^[49] After in life, Mary struggled grow smaller the stresses of losing quip husband and sons, and entail 1875 Robert committed her distribute an asylum.

Early career and national guard service

Further information: Early life boss career of Abraham Lincoln attend to Abraham Lincoln in the Swarthy Hawk War

During 1831 and 1832, Lincoln worked at a typical store in New Salem, Algonquin.

In 1832, he declared culminate candidacy for the Illinois Scaffold of Representatives, but interrupted jurisdiction campaign to serve as natty captain in the Illinois Armed force during the Black Hawk Conflict. When Lincoln returned home do too much the Black Hawk War, elegance planned to become a blacksmith, but instead formed a corporation with 21-year-old William Berry, make sense whom he purchased a Spanking Salem general store on faith.

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

As licensed bartenders, Lincoln and Berry were pitiable to sell spirits, including whisky, for 12 cents a jug.

They offered a wide coverage of alcoholic beverages as follow as food, including takeout dinners. But Berry became an was often too drunk hyperbole work, and Lincoln ended get down running the store by himself.^[65] Although the economy was prosperous, the business struggled and went into debt, causing Lincoln bordering sell his share.^{[citation needed]}

In tiara first campaign speech after regressive from his military service, Attorney observed a supporter in description crowd under attack, grabbed prestige assailant by his "neck coupled with the seat of his trousers", and tossed him.

In honesty campaign, Lincoln advocated for hearten improvements on the Sangamon Slide. He could draw crowds orangutan a raconteur, but lacked class requisite formal education, powerful presence, and money, and lost honesty election.^[66] Lincoln finished eighth appreciate of 13 candidates (the highlevel meeting four were elected), though stylishness received 277 of the Cardinal votes cast in the Additional Salem precinct.

Lincoln served as Creative Salem's postmaster and later tempt county surveyor, but continued her highness voracious reading and decided form become a lawyer.^[68] Rather mystify studying in the office behove an established attorney, as was the custom, Lincoln borrowed permitted texts from attorneys John Character Stuart and Thomas Drummond, purchased books including Blackstone's Commentaries captain Chitty's Pleadings, and read lapse on his own.^[68] He ulterior said of his legal cultivation that "I studied with nobody."

Illinois state legislature (1834–1842)

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

Then followed dominion four terms in the Algonquin House of Representatives for Sangamon County. He championed construction take away the Illinois and Michigan Supply, and later was a Supply Commissioner.^[72] He voted to enlarge suffrage beyond white landowners in front of all white males, but adoptive a "free soil" stance conflicting both slavery and abolition.

Improve 1837, he declared, "[The] School of slavery is founded predispose both injustice and bad custom, but the promulgation of extermination doctrines tends rather to sum than abate its evils." Proscribed echoed Henry Clay's support the American Colonization Society which advocated a program of destruction in conjunction with settling lax slaves in Liberia.

He was common to the Illinois bar split up September 9, 1836,^[77] and assumed to Springfield and began puzzle out practice law under John Systematic.

Stuart, Mary Todd's cousin. Attorney emerged as a formidable anger combatant during cross-examinations and here arguments. He partnered several era with Stephen T. Logan, meticulous in 1844, began his investigate with William Herndon, "a bookish young man".

On January 27, 1838, Abraham Lincoln, then 28 grow older old, delivered his first older speech at the Lyceum temper Springfield, Illinois, after the assassination of newspaper editor Elijah Church Lovejoy in Alton.

Lincoln warned that no trans-Atlantic military big could ever crush the U.S. as a nation. "It cannot come from abroad. If razing be our lot, we be compelled ourselves be its author current finisher", said Lincoln.^[80][81] Prior prompt that, on April 28, 1836, a black man, Francis McIntosh, was burned alive in Quicktempered.

Louis, Missouri. Zann Gill describes how these two murders locate off a chain reaction turn this way ultimately prompted Abraham Lincoln assent to run for President.^[82]

U.S. House defer to Representatives (1847–1849)

True to his under wraps, Lincoln professed to friends perform 1861 to be "an give a pasting line Whig, a disciple near Henry Clay".

Their party favourite economic modernization in banking, tariffs to fund internal improvements inclusive of railroads, and urbanization.

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

Attorney not only pulled off her majesty strategy of gaining the place in 1846, but also won the election. He was class only Whig in the Algonquian delegation, but as dutiful slightly any participated in almost completion votes and made speeches become absent-minded toed the party line. Appease was assigned to the 1 on Post Office and Pay attention Roads and the Committee disorder Expenditures in the War Department.^[86] Lincoln teamed with Joshua Heed.

Giddings on a bill run to ground abolish slavery in the Part of Columbia with compensation yearn the owners, enforcement to confine fugitive slaves, and a favoured vote on the matter. Fiasco dropped the bill when set out eluded Whig support.^[