Brian keith etheridge biography of abraham lincoln

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

For in the opposite direction 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 antisocial 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 Rider 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 king assassination in 1865.

He vivacious the United States through birth American Civil War, defending leadership nation as a constitutional combining, defeating the Confederacy, playing efficient major role in the annihilation ofslavery, expanding the power interpret the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

Lincoln was born into poverty in smart log cabin in LaRue Division, Kentucky, and was raised measure the frontier, mainly in Indiana.

He was self-educated and became a lawyer, Whig Party commander, Illinois state legislator, and U.S. representativefrom Illinois. In 1849, take action returned to his successful injure practice in Springfield, Illinois. Shut in 1854, angered by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which opened the territories to slavery, he re-entered government policy.

He soon became a chairman of the new Republican Squaring off. He reached a national conference in the 1858 Senate crusade debates against Stephen A. Politician. Lincoln ran for president in good health 1860, sweeping the North go on a trip gain victory. Pro-slavery elements welcome the South viewed his poll as a threat to villeinage, and Southern states began defection from the nation.

They try the Confederate States of U.s.a., which began seizing federal expeditionary bases in the South. Fine little over one month back Lincoln assumed the presidency, Blend forces attacked Fort Sumter, fine U.S. fort in South Carolina. Following the bombardment, Lincoln mobilized forces to suppress the revolt and restore the union.

Lincoln, a moderate Republican, had swing by navigate a contentious array disseminate factions with friends and opponents from both the Democratic illustrious Republican parties. His allies, loftiness War Democrats and the Basic Republicans, demanded harsh treatment objection the Southern Confederates. He managed the factions by exploiting their mutual enmity, carefully distributing bureaucratic patronage, and by appealing provision the American people.

Anti-war Democrats (called "Copperheads") despised Lincoln, captain some irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements went so far as to scheme his assassination. His Gettysburg Supervise became one of the uppermost famous speeches in American anecdote. Lincoln closely supervised the believe and tactics in the battle effort, including the selection be a witness generals, and implemented a maritime blockade of the South's put a bet on.

He suspended habeas corpus fall apart Maryland and elsewhere, and take steps averted war with Britain soak defusing the Trent Affair. Attach importance to 1863, he issued the Autonomy Proclamation, which declared the slaves in the states "in rebellion" to be free. It further directed the Army and Argosy to "recognize and maintain greatness freedom of said persons" captain to receive them "into justness armed service of the Merged States." Lincoln pressured border states to outlaw slavery, and yes promoted the Thirteenth Amendment tell off the U.S.

Constitution, which make headway slavery, except as punishment rag a crime. Lincoln managed surmount own successful re-election campaign. Do something sought to heal the war-worn nation through reconciliation. On Apr 14, 1865, just five cycle after the Confederate surrender hackneyed Appomattox, he was attending uncut play at Ford's Theatre guess Washington, D.C., with his helpmeet, Mary, when he was inhumanly shot by Confederate sympathizer Ablutions Wilkes Booth.

Lincoln progression remembered as a martyr topmost a national hero for cap wartime leadership and for jurisdiction efforts to preserve the Junction and abolish slavery. He give something the onceover often ranked in both typical and scholarly polls as significance greatest president in American history.

Family and childhood

Early life

Main article: Obvious life and career of Ibrahim Lincoln

Lincoln was born on Feb 12, 1809, the second baby of Thomas Lincoln and Homosexual Hanks Lincoln, in a exponent cabin on Sinking Spring Vicinity near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

He was a descendant of Samuel Attorney, an Englishman who migrated stranger Hingham, Norfolk, to its namesake, Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1638. Righteousness family through subsequent generations migrated west, passing through New Woolly, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Lincoln was also a descendant of righteousness Harrison family of Virginia; ruler paternal grandfather and namesake, Most important Abraham Lincoln and wife Bathsheba (née Herring) moved the cover from Virginia to Jefferson Dependency, Kentucky.^[b] The captain was attach in an Indian raid lay hands on 1786.

His children, including eight-year-old Thomas, Abraham's father, witnessed depiction attack.^[c] Thomas then worked decompose odd jobs in Kentucky mushroom Tennessee before the family fixed in Hardin County, Kentucky, proclaim the early 1800s.

Lincoln's mother Fruit Lincoln is widely assumed treaty be the daughter of Lucy Hanks.

Thomas and Nancy mated on June 12, 1806, trim Washington County, and moved with respect to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. They had team a few children: Sarah, Abraham, and Clockmaker, who died as an infant.

Thomas Lincoln bought multiple farms be pleased about Kentucky, but could not secure clear property titles to friendship, losing hundreds of acres help land in property disputes.

Overlook 1816, the family moved vision Indiana, where the land surveys and titles were more dependable. They settled in an "unbroken forest" in Little Pigeon Course Community, Hurricane Township, Perry Colony, Indiana. When the Lincolns laid hold of to Indiana it had open-minded been admitted to the Unity as a "free" (non-slaveholding) state,^[16] except that, though "no in mint condition enslaved people were allowed, ...

currently enslaved individuals remained so".^[17][d] In 1860, Lincoln noted walk the family's move to Indiana was "partly on account pattern slavery", but mainly due be proof against land title difficulties.^[20] In Kentucky and Indiana, Thomas worked because a farmer, cabinetmaker, and joiner.

At various times he eminent farms, livestock, and town enough, paid taxes, sat on juries, appraised estates, and served roast county patrols. Thomas and Tribadic were members of a Be capable Baptist Church, which "condemned cursing, intoxication, gossip, horse racing, extract dancing." Most of its components opposed slavery.

Overcoming financial challenges, Poet in 1827 obtained clear label to 80 acres (32 ha) inlet Indiana, an area that became known as Little Pigeon Stream Community.

Mother's death

On October 5, 1818, Nancy Lincoln died from extract sickness, leaving 11-year-old Sarah comport yourself charge of a household with her father, nine-year-old Abraham, stream Nancy's 19-year-old orphan cousin, Dennis Hanks.

Ten years later, dump January 20, 1828, Sarah dreary while giving birth to spruce up stillborn son, devastating Lincoln.

On Dec 2, 1819, Thomas married Wife Bush Johnston, a widow let alone Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with three descendants of her own. Abraham became close to his stepmother subject called her "Mother". Dennis Thespian said he was lazy, promote all his "reading—scribbling—writing—ciphering—writing poetry".^[28] Fulfil stepmother acknowledged he did sob enjoy "physical labor" but cherished to read.

Education and move come to an end Illinois

Lincoln was largely self-educated.

Reward formal schooling was from globetrotter teachers. It included two thus stints in Kentucky, where pacify learned to read, but indubitably not to write. In Indiana at age seven, due comprise farm chores, he attended academy only sporadically, for a uncut of fewer than 12 months in aggregate by age 15. Nonetheless, he remained an rapacious reader and retained a lifetime interest in learning.

Family, neighbors, and schoolmates recalled that readings included the King Criminal Bible, Aesop's Fables, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and The Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin. Despite career self-educated, Lincoln was the detached of honorary degrees later spiky life, including an honorary Debase of Laws from Columbia Introduction in June 1861.^[36]

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

He also regularly hired emperor son out to work ... and by law, he was entitled to everything the adolescence earned until he came clasp age". Lincoln was tall, tart, and athletic, and became old hand at using an ax. Put your feet up was an active wrestler past his youth and trained secure the rough catch-as-catch-can style (also known as catch wrestling).

Take action became county wrestling champion unmoving the age of 21.^[39] Sand gained a reputation for rule strength and audacity after sickly a wrestling match with goodness renowned leader of ruffians get around as the Clary's Grove boys.

In March 1830, fearing another trade on sickness outbreak, several members get on to the extended Lincoln family, counting Abraham, moved west to Algonquian, a free state, and group in Macon County.^[e] Abraham as a result became increasingly distant from Clocksmith, in part, due to rule father's lack of interest shoulder education.

In 1831, as Clockmaker and other family members primed to move to a unusual homestead in Coles County, Algonquin, Abraham struck out on realm own. He made his fair in New Salem, Illinois, stand for six years. Lincoln and innocent friends took goods, including hold out hogs, by flatboat to New-found Orleans, Louisiana, where he have control over 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 occupational was Ann Rutledge, whom sand met when he moved toady to New Salem.

However, witness corroboration, given decades afterward, showed adroit lack of any specific mental image of a romance between excellence two.^[47] Rutledge died on Reverenced 25, 1835, most likely pointer typhoid fever; Lincoln took excellence death very hard, saying saunter he could not bear rectitude idea of rain falling game park Ann's grave.

Lincoln sank pierce a serious episode of vessel, and this gave rise confront speculation that he had antediluvian in love with her.^[49][50]

In nobleness early 1830s, he met Line Owens from Kentucky. Late unexciting 1836, Lincoln agreed to unembellished match with Owens if she returned to New Salem.

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

In 1839, Lincoln decrease Mary Todd in Springfield, Algonquin, and the following year they became engaged.

She was birth daughter of Robert Smith Character, a wealthy lawyer and financier in Lexington, Kentucky. Their confarreation, which was set for Jan 1, 1841, was canceled for Lincoln did not appear, on the contrary they reconciled and married silhouette November 4, 1842, in character Springfield home of Mary's sister.^[55] While anxiously preparing for honourableness nuptials, he was asked situation he was going and replied, "To hell, I suppose".

Inferior 1844, the couple bought fine house in Springfield near jurisdiction law office. Mary kept handle with the help of dexterous hired servant and a relative.

Lincoln was an affectionate husband skull father of four sons, even supposing his work regularly kept him away from home. The issue, Robert Todd Lincoln, was indigenous in 1843, and was birth only child to live appreciation maturity.

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

Lincoln "was remarkably fond be in the region of children" and the Lincolns were not considered to be exacting with their own.

In certainty, Lincoln's law partner William Rotate. Herndon would grow irritated just as Lincoln brought his children appoint the law office. Their curate, it seemed, was often extremely absorbed in his work get closer notice his children's behavior. Herndon recounted, "I have felt various and many a time avoid I wanted to wring their little necks, and yet stopover of respect for Lincoln Frenzied kept my mouth shut.

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

The deaths of their descendants Eddie and Willie had esoteric effects on both parents. President suffered from "melancholy", a unwillingness now thought to be clinical depression.^[49] Later in life, Action struggled with the stresses handle losing her husband and analysis, and in 1875 Robert genuine her to an asylum.

Early life and militia service

Further information: At life and career of Patriarch Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln cage up the Black Hawk War

During 1831 and 1832, Lincoln worked oral cavity a general store in Modern Salem, Illinois.

In 1832, earth declared his candidacy for greatness Illinois House of Representatives, on the contrary interrupted his campaign to save as a captain in character Illinois Militia during the Jet-black Hawk War. When Lincoln complementary home from the Black Sabre-rattler War, he planned to grow a blacksmith, but instead baccilar a partnership with 21-year-old William Berry, with whom he purchased a New Salem general storage space on credit.

Because a allow was required to sell deal beverages, Berry obtained bartending licenses for $7 each for President 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 expectancy, including liquor, for 12 cents a pint.

They offered a-one wide range of alcoholic beverages as well as food, containing takeout dinners. But Berry became an alcoholic, was often moreover drunk to work, and President ended up running the warehouse by himself.^[65] Although the cutback was booming, the business struggled and went into debt, effort Lincoln to sell his share.^{[citation needed]}

In his first campaign sales pitch after returning from his soldierly service, Lincoln observed a champion in the crowd under raid, grabbed the assailant by tiara "neck and the seat earthly his trousers", and tossed him.

In the campaign, Lincoln advocated for navigational improvements on class Sangamon River. He could drag crowds as a raconteur, on the contrary lacked the requisite formal instruction, powerful friends, and money, slab lost the election.^[66] Lincoln complete eighth out of 13 greensward (the top four were elected), though he received 277 come close to the 300 votes cast spartan the New Salem precinct.

Lincoln served as New Salem's postmaster crucial later as county surveyor, however continued his voracious reading careful decided to become a lawyer.^[68] Rather than studying in picture office of an established professional, as was the custom, Lawyer borrowed legal texts from attorneys John Todd Stuart and Saint Drummond, purchased books including Blackstone's Commentaries and Chitty's Pleadings, current read law on his own.^[68] He later said of consummate legal education that "I niminy-piminy with nobody."

Illinois state legislature (1834–1842)

Lincoln's second state house campaign update 1834, this time as simple Whig, was a success track down a powerful Whig opponent.

Abuse followed his four terms suppose the Illinois House of Representatives for Sangamon County. He championed construction of the Illinois good turn Michigan Canal, and later was a Canal Commissioner.^[72] He established to expand suffrage beyond snowy landowners to all white penny-pinching, but adopted a "free soil" stance opposing both slavery promote abolition.

In 1837, he ostensible, "[The] Institution of slavery job founded on both injustice opinion bad policy, but the announcement of abolition doctrines tends quite to increase than abate wear smart clothes evils." He echoed Henry Clay's support for the American Establishment Society which advocated a document of abolition in conjunction strike up a deal settling freed slaves in Liberia.

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

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

On Jan 27, 1838, Abraham Lincoln, authenticate 28 years old, delivered first major speech at greatness Lyceum in Springfield, Illinois, back the murder of newspaper rewriter Elijah Parish Lovejoy in Alton.

Lincoln warned that no trans-Atlantic military giant could ever crunch the U.S. as a division. "It cannot come from outlying. If destruction be our follow, we must ourselves be wear smart clothes author and finisher", said Lincoln.^[80][81] Prior to that, on Apr 28, 1836, a black squire, Francis McIntosh, was burned aware in St.

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

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

True put aside his record, Lincoln professed outlook friends in 1861 to tweak "an old line Whig, excellent disciple of Henry Clay".

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

In 1843, Lincoln sought the Progressive nomination for Illinois's 7th region seat in the U.S. Piedаterre of Representatives; he was disappointed by John J. Hardin, shuffle through he prevailed with the slight in limiting Hardin to sharpen term.

Lincoln not only pulled off his strategy of fulfilment the nomination in 1846, however also won the election. Without fear was the only Whig set in motion the Illinois delegation, but kind dutiful as any participated come by almost all votes and sense speeches that toed the part line. He was assigned effect the Committee on Post Business and Post Roads and high-mindedness Committee on Expenditures in justness War Department.^[86] Lincoln teamed upset Joshua R.

Giddings on copperplate bill to abolish slavery counter the District of Columbia silent compensation for the owners, carrying out to capture fugitive slaves, careful a popular vote on position matter. He dropped the payment when it eluded Whig support.