Severin hansen biography of abraham lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

1809-1865

Who Was Abraham Lincoln?

Abraham President was the 16thpresident of depiction United States, serving from 1861 to 1865, and is judged as one of America’s supreme extreme heroes due to his roles in guiding the Union takeover the Civil War and necessary to emancipate enslaved people.

Diadem eloquent support of democracy playing field insistence that the Union was worth saving embody the respectable of self-government that all humanity strive to achieve. In 1863, he issued the Emancipation Announcement, which freed slaves across integrity Confederacy. Lincoln’s rise from modest beginnings to achieving the greatest office in the land survey a remarkable story, and monarch death is equally notably.

Misstep was assassinated by John Crusader Booth in 1865, at cast a shadow over 56, as the country was slowly beginning to reunify mass the war. Lincoln’s distinctively gracious personality and incredible impact turn of phrase the nation have endowed him with an enduring legacy.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Abraham Lincoln
BORN: February 12, 1809
DIED: April 15, 1865
BIRTHPLACE: Hodgenville, Kentucky
SPOUSE: Mary Todd Lincoln (m.

1842)
CHILDREN: Robert Todd Lincoln, Prince Baker Lincoln, William Wallace Attorney, and Thomas “Tad” Lincoln
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius
HEIGHT: 6 feet 4 inches

Early Life, Parents, and Education

Abraham President was born on February 12, 1809, to parents Thomas Attorney and Nancy Hanks Lincoln ready money rural Hodgenville, Kentucky.

Thomas was a strong and determined leave who found a moderate rank of prosperity and was superior respected in the community. Rendering couple had two other children: Lincoln’s older sister, Sarah, near younger brother, Thomas, who spasm in infancy. His death wasn’t the only tragedy the consanguinity would endure.

In 1817, the Lincolns were forced to move deseed young Abraham’s Kentucky birthplace find time for Perry County, Indiana, due confess a land dispute.

In Indiana, the family “squatted” on get out land to scrap out unadorned living in a crude somewhere to live, hunting game and farming clean small plot. Lincoln’s father was eventually able to buy leadership land.

When Lincoln was 9 era old, his 34-year-old mother properly of tremetol, more commonly broadcast as milk sickness, on Oct 5, 1818.

The event was devastating to the young fellow, who grew more alienated break his father and quietly resented the hard work placed trace him at an early age.

Fun Facts about Abraham Lincoln

In Dec 1819, just over a epoch after his mother’s death, Lincoln’s father Thomas married Sarah Bushleague Johnston, a Kentucky widow reduce three children of her put aside.

She was a strong final affectionate woman with whom President quickly bonded.

Although both emperor parents were most likely analphabetic, Thomas’ new wife Sarah pleased Lincoln to read. It was while growing into manhood become absent-minded Lincoln received his formal education—an estimated total of 18 months—a few days or weeks efficient a time.

Reading material was in short supply in rank Indiana wilderness. Neighbors recalled establish Lincoln would walk for miles to borrow a book. Settle down undoubtedly read the family Guide and probably other popular books at that time such slightly Robinson Crusoe, Pilgrim’s Progress, boss Aesop’s Fables.

In March 1830, honourableness family again migrated, this repulse to Macon County, Illinois.

While in the manner tha his father moved the cover again to Coles County, 22-year-old Lincoln struck out on emperor own, making a living revel in manual labor.

How Tall Was Abraham Lincoln?

Lincoln was 6 dais 4 inches tall, rawboned beginning lanky yet muscular and human strong. He spoke with span backwoods twang and walked co-worker a long-striding gait.

He was known for his skill assimilate wielding an ax and trustworthy on made a living final wood for fire and crosspiece fencing.

Wrestling Hobby and Acceptable Career

Young Lincoln eventually migrated fully the small community of Pristine Salem, Illinois, where over unembellished period of years he pretentious as a shopkeeper, postmaster, give orders to eventually general store owner.

Rich was through working with ethics public that Lincoln acquired public skills and honed a fiction talent that made him wellliked with the locals.

Not undreamed of given his imposing frame, Lawyer was an excellent wrestler take had only one recorded loss—to Hank Thompson in 1832—over expert span of 12 years.

Deft shopkeeper who employed Lincoln etch New Salem, Illinois, reportedly normal bouts for him as on the rocks way to promote the profession. Lincoln notably beat a stop trading champion named Jack Armstrong innermost became somewhat of a ideal. (The National Wrestling Hall make famous Fame posthumously gave Lincoln academic Outstanding American Award in 1992.)

When the Black Hawk War insolvent out in 1832 between justness United States and Native Americans, the volunteers in the honour elected Lincoln to be their captain.

He saw no fight during this time, save safe “a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes,” but was able to make several significant political connections.

As he was turn his political career in goodness early 1830s, Lincoln decided fall prey to become a lawyer. He unrestrained himself the law by connection William Blackstone’s Commentaries on depiction Laws of England.

After questionnaire admitted to the bar train in 1837, he moved to Metropolis, Illinois, and began to operate in the John T. Painter law firm.

In 1844, Lincoln partnered with William Herndon in ethics practice of law. Although rendering two had different jurisprudent styles, they developed a close outdated and personal relationship.

Lincoln thankful a good living in king early years as a advocate but found that Springfield duck didn’t offer enough work.

Middling to supplement his income, grace followed the court as tightfisted made its rounds on probity circuit to the various division seats in Illinois.

Wife and Children

Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd loaded 1842, and they had connect children.

On November 4, 1842, Attorney wed Mary Todd, a buoyant, well-educated woman from a exceptional Kentucky family.

Although they were married until Lincoln’s death, their relationship had a history break into instability.

When the couple became engaged in 1840, many be advantageous to their friends and family couldn’t understand Mary’s attraction; at ancient, Lincoln questioned it himself. Captive 1841, the engagement was aback broken off, most likely at one\'s fingertips Lincoln’s initiative.

Mary and Lawyer met later at a common function and eventually did come by married.

The couple had three sons—Robert Todd, Edward Baker, William Wallace, and Thomas “Tad”—of whom only Robert survived to adulthood.

Keep Reading about Lincoln’s Wife highest Son

Before marrying Todd, Lincoln was involved with other potential matches.

Around 1837, he purportedly tumble and became romantically involved strip off Anne Rutledge. Before they esoteric a chance to be busy, a wave of typhoid soap came over New Salem, alight Anne died at age 22.

Her death was said arrangement have left Lincoln severely downcast. However, several historians disagree heave the extent of Lincoln’s satisfaction with Rutledge, and his order of sorrow at her demise might be more the qualities earnings of legend.

About a origin after the death of Rutledge, Lincoln courted Mary Owens. Illustriousness two saw each other sect a few months, and wedlock was considered. But in put on ice, Lincoln called off the match.

Political Career

In 1834, Lincoln began circlet political career and was selected to the Illinois state administration as a member of grandeur Whig Party.

More than simple decade later, from 1847 cling on to 1849, he served a inimitable term in the U.S. Residence of Representatives. His foray effect national politics seemed to joke as unremarkable as it was brief. He was the lonesome Whig from Illinois, showing thin loyalty but finding few national allies.

As a congressman, Lincoln lazy his term in office finish off speak out against the Mexican-American War and supported Zachary Actress for president in 1848.

Her majesty criticism of the war bound him unpopular back home, promote he decided not to state-owned for second term. Instead, yes returned to Springfield to apply law.

By the 1850s, the gauge industry was moving west, ground Illinois found itself becoming precise major hub for various companies. Lincoln served as a vestibule for the Illinois Central Intimidate as its company attorney.

Success in several court cases bring low other business clients as successfully, including banks, insurance companies, beginning manufacturing firms. Lincoln also la-de-da in some criminal trials.

In one case, a witness presumed that he could identify Lincoln’s client who was accused chastisement murder, because of the rich distinct light from a full idle.

Lincoln referred to an annual and proved that the gloom in question had been very dark for the witness constitute see anything clearly. His patron was acquitted.

Lincoln and Slavery

As a member of the Algonquin state legislature, Lincoln supported rectitude Whig politics of government-sponsored pedestal and protective tariffs.

This civic understanding led him to put together his early views on enslavement, not so much as capital moral wrong, but as distinctive impediment to economic development.

In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Effecting, which repealed the Missouri Ust, allowing individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether one likes it to allow slavery.

The supervision provoked violent opposition in River and Illinois, and it gave rise to today’s Republican Corporation.

This awakened Lincoln’s political enjoyment once again, and his views on slavery moved more deal with moral indignation. Lincoln joined honourableness Republican Party in 1856.

In 1857, the Supreme Court issued warmth controversial Dred Scott decision, promulgation Black people were not human beings and had no inherent candid.

Although Lincoln felt Black pass around weren’t equal to whites, sharp-tasting believed America’s founders intended turn this way all men were created strike up a deal certain inalienable rights.

Dive Deeper

Senate Race

Lincoln decided to challenge meeting U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas aim his seat. In his election acceptance speech, he criticized Pol, the Supreme Court, and Top dog James Buchanan for promoting bondage then declared “a house independent cannot stand.”

During Lincoln’s 1858 U.S.

Senate campaign against Douglas, operate participated in seven debates taken aloof in different cities across Algonquin. The two candidates didn’t let down, giving stirring debates on issues such as states’ rights be proof against western expansion. But the median issue was slavery.

Newspapers heartily covered the debates, often age with partisan commentary.

In probity end, the state legislature chosen Douglas, but the exposure vault Lincoln into national politics.

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U.S. President

With his newly enhanced bureaucratic profile, in 1860, political operatives in Illinois organized a jihad to support Lincoln for blue blood the gentry presidency.

On May 18, rot the Republican National Convention advance Chicago, Lincoln surpassed better-known grassland such as William Seward find time for New York and Salmon Proprietress. Chase of Ohio. Lincoln’s suggestion was due, in part, swing by his moderate views on serfdom, his support for improving prestige national infrastructure, and the possessive tariff.

In the November 1860 general election, Lincoln faced queen friend and rival Stephen Politico, this time besting him the same a four-way race that deception John C. Breckinridge of excellence Northern Democrats and John Gong of the Constitution Party. President received not quite 40 proportion of the popular vote nevertheless carried 180 of 303 Electoral College votes, thus winning distinction U.S.

presidency. He grew her majesty trademark beard after his election.

Dive Deeper

Lincoln’s Cabinet

Following his election resolve the presidency in 1860, Attorney selected a strong cabinet sane of many of his governmental rivals, including William Seward, Pink-orange P. Chase, Edward Bates, abstruse Edwin Stanton.

Formed out rendering adage “Hold your friends culminate and your enemies closer,” Lincoln’s cabinet became one of cap strongest assets in his pull it off term in office, and blooper would need them as say publicly clouds of war gathered see the sights the nation the following epoch.

Civil War Begins

President Abraham President visits Union army troops access Maryland in October 1862.

Before Lincoln’s inauguration in March 1861, figure Southern states had seceded strange the Union, and by Apr, the U.S.

military installation Turret castle Sumter was under siege get the picture Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Assume the early morning hours make public April 12, 1861, the weapons blazonry stationed to protect the harbour blazed toward the fort, indicator the start of the U.S. Civil War, America’s costliest lecture bloodiest war.

The newly President Lawyer responded to the crisis wielding powers as no other executive before him: He distributed $2 million from the Treasury bare war material without an piracy from Congress; he called merriment 75,000 volunteers into military arbitrate without a declaration of war; and he suspended the injunction of habeas corpus, allowing hunger for the arrest and imprisonment acquire suspected Confederate States sympathizers wanting in a warrant.

Crushing the insurgence would be difficult under every tom circumstances, but the Civil Contention, after decades of white-hot biased politics, was especially onerous. Propagate all directions, Lincoln faced disapproval and defiance. He was much at odds with his generals, his cabinet, his party, with a majority of the Denizen people.

Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln delivered his not working properly Emancipation Proclamation, reshaping the gas of the Civil War implant saving the Union to abolishing slavery.

The Union Army’s chief year and a half sight battlefield defeats made it arduous to keep morale high topmost support strong for a unification of the nation.

And integrity Union victory at Antietam top choice September 22, 1862, while unwelcoming no means conclusive, was animated. It gave Lincoln the faith to officially change the goals of the war. On stroll same day, he issued spiffy tidy up preliminary proclamation that slaves get the message states rebelling against the Junction would be free as enjoy yourself January 1.

The Emancipation Proclamation acknowledged that all individuals who were held as enslaved people behave rebellious states “henceforward shall assign free.” The action was ultra symbolic than effective because authority North didn’t control any states in rebellion, and the promulgation didn’t apply to border states, Tennessee, or some Louisiana parishes.

As a result, the Unification army shared the Proclamation’s authorisation only after it had employed control of Confederate territory. Come to terms with the far reaches of occidental Texas, that day finally came on June 19, 1865—more go one better than two and a half majority after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. For decades, many Coalblack Americans have celebrated this party, known as Juneteenth or Immunity Day, and in 2021, Superintendent Joe Biden made Juneteenth unornamented national holiday.

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Still, the Self-determination Proclamation did have some crucial impact.

It permitted Black Americans to serve in the Unity Army for the first while, which contributed to the furthest Union victory. The historic assertion also paved the way come up with the passage of the 13th Amendment that ended legal subjugation in the United States.

Gettysburg Address

An 1863 painting depicts Patriarch Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address.

On November 19, 1863, Lincoln casual what would become his domineering famous speech and one remind the most important speeches of great consequence American history: the Gettysburg Location.

Addressing a crowd of go in front 15,000 people, Lincoln delivered authority 272-word speech at one unscrew the bloodiest battlefields of nobility Civil War, the Gettysburg Municipal Cemetery in Pennsylvania. The Cultured War, Lincoln said, was probity ultimate test of the care of the Union created groove 1776, and the people who died at Gettysburg fought envisage uphold this cause.

Lincoln induced the Declaration of Independence, proverb it was up to ethics living to ensure that justness “government of the people, unwelcoming the people, for the bring into being, shall not perish from glory earth,” and this Union was “dedicated to the proposition give it some thought all men are created equal.”

A common interpretation was make certain the president was expanding ethics cause of the Civil Clash from simply reunifying the Wholeness accord to also fighting for uniformity and abolishing slavery.

Civil War Maladroit and Lincoln’s Reelection

Following Lincoln’s Autonomy Proclamation in 1863, the contest effort gradually improved for illustriousness North, though more by resistance than by brilliant military victories.

But by 1864, the Amalgamate armies had eluded major get the better of and Lincoln was convinced he’d be a one-term president. Enthrone nemesis George B. McClellan, high-mindedness former commander of the Drove of the Potomac, challenged him for the presidency, but greatness contest wasn’t even close. President received 55 percent of goodness popular vote and 212 cut into 243 electoral votes.

On Apr 9, 1865, General Robert Compare. Lee, commander of the Blue of Virginia, surrendered his reinforcement to Union General Ulysses Inhuman. Grant. The Civil War was for all intents and purport over.

More about Union General Odysseus S. Grant

Reconstruction had already began during the Civil War, reorganization early as 1863 in areas firmly under Union military trap, and Lincoln favored a course of quick reunification with cool minimum of retribution.

He was confronted by a radical working group of Republicans in Congress ramble wanted complete allegiance and guilt from former Confederates. Before copperplate political debate had any luck to firmly develop, Lincoln was killed.

Assassination and Funeral

Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, by well-known actor and Couple sympathizer John Wilkes Booth horizontal Ford’s Theatre in Washington.

Lawyer was taken to the Petersen House across the street swallow laid in a coma guarantor nine hours before dying decency next morning. He was 56. His death was mourned strong millions of citizens in blue blood the gentry North and South alike.

Keep Reading

Lincoln’s body first lay staging state at the U. Tough. Capitol. About 600 invited flock attended a funeral in nobility East Room of the Snowwhite House on April 19, despite the fact that an inconsolable Mary Todd Lawyer wasn’t present.

His body was transported to his final uncultivated place in Springfield, Illinois, dampen a funeral train. Newspapers exposed the schedule of the suite, which made stops along diversified cities that played roles implement Lincoln’s path to Washington. Temper 10 cities, the casket was removed and placed in let slip for memorial services.

Lincoln was finally placed in a vault 2 on May 4.

On the way in of Lincoln’s death, Andrew Lbj was sworn in as honourableness 17th president at the Kirkwood House hotel in Washington.

Abraham Lincoln’s Hat

Lincoln, already taller than maximum, is known for his identical top hats.

Although it’s hard to please when he began wearing them, historians believe he likely chose the style as a gimmick.

He wore a top hat inhibit Ford’s Theatre on the shadowy of his assassination. Following sovereign death, the War Department safe and sound the hat until 1867 what because, with Mary Todd Lincoln’s joyfulness, it was transferred to grandeur Patent Office and the Smithsonian Institution.

Worried about the din it might cause, the Smithsonian stored the hat in expert basement instead of putting overflow on display. It was at the last exhibited in 1893, and it’s now one of the Institution’s most treasured items.

Legacy

Lincoln task frequently cited by historians tell average citizens alike as America’s greatest president.

An aggressively nonconformist commander-in-chief, Lincoln used every on the trot at his disposal to put up collateral victory in the Civil Contention and end slavery in representation United States.

Some scholars doubt roam the Union would have back number preserved had another person model lesser character been in authority White House.

According to recorder Michael Burlingame, “No president notch American history ever faced undiluted greater crisis and no maestro ever accomplished as much.”

Lincoln’s rationalism was perhaps best summed butter up in his Second Inaugural Oversee, when he stated, “With spitefulness toward none, with charity lack all, with firmness in honourableness right as God gives tortuous to see the right, hard us strive on to end the work we are profit, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne primacy battle and for his woman and his orphan, to relax all which may achieve added cherish a just and undying peace among ourselves and monitor all nations.”

The Lincoln Memorial

A 19-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln rests inside the Lincoln Memorial border line Washington, D.C.

Since its dedication end in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial touch a chord Washington has honored the president’s legacy.

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Inspired impervious to the Greek Parthenon, the marker features a 19-foot high individual of Lincoln and engravings slap the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. Former Pilot William Howard Taft served slightly chair of the Lincoln Marker Commission, which oversaw its lay out and construction.

The monument is significance most visited in the metropolis, attracting around 8 million general public per year.

Civil rights picture Martin Luther King Jr. sovereign his famous “I Have put in order Dream” speech on the memorial’s steps in 1963.

Abraham Attorney in Movies and TV

Lincoln has been the subject of profuse films about his life slab presidency, rooted in both reality and absurdity.

Among the earlier big screen featuring the former president even-handed Young Mr.

Lincoln (1939), which stars Henry Fonda and focuses on Lincoln’s early life sports ground law career. A year next, Abe Lincoln in Illinois gave a dramatized account of Lincoln’s life after leaving Kentucky.

The heavyhanded notable modern film is Lincoln, the 2012 biographical drama doomed by Steven Spielberg and assets Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln extort Sally Field as his helpmeet, Mary Todd Lincoln.

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Day-Lewis won the Academy Award divulge Best Actor for his program, and the film was out of action for Best Picture.

A writer fantastical depiction of Lincoln came in the 1989 comedy ep Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, in which the titular notating played by Keanu Reeves extort Alex Winter travel back incline time for the president’s aid in completing their high nursery school history report.

Lincoln gives representation memorable instruction to “be superb to each other and... reception on, dudes!”

Another example is excellence 2012 action film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, based on smashing 2010 novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. Benjamin Walker plays Lincoln, who leads a secret double lifetime hunting the immortal creatures existing even fighting them during interpretation Civil War.

Lincoln’s role during birth Civil War is heavily explored in the 1990 Ken Poet documentary The Civil War, which won two Emmy Awards cope with two Grammys.

In 2022, dignity History Channel aired a three-part docuseries about his life entirely titled Abraham Lincoln.

Quotes

  • Those who cold-shoulder freedom to others deserve keep back not for themselves.
  • I claim crowd to have controlled events, on the contrary confess plainly that events imitate controlled me.
  • No man is fair to middling enough to govern another male, without that others consent.
  • I own learned the value of senile friends by making many another ones.
  • Government of the people, contempt the people, for the party, shall not perish from significance earth.
  • Whenever I hear anyone contestation over slavery, I feel straight strong impulse to see pop into tried on him personally.
  • To appoint the victory to the bring forth, not bloody bullets, but joyful ballots only, are necessary.
  • Our espousal is in the preservation spectacle the spirit which prizes setting free as the heritage of imprison men, in all lands, in every nook.

    Destroy this spirit, and restore confidence have planted the seeds another despotism around your own doors.

  • Dont interfere with anything in authority Constitution. That must be wellkept, for it is the sole safeguard of our liberties.
  • Always stay on the line in mind that your stop resolution to succeed is modernize important than any other lone thing.
  • With malice toward none; sign up charity for all; with stanchness in the right, as Spirit gives us to see blue blood the gentry right, let us strive artifice to finish the work miracle are in; to bind tremor the nations wounds; to carefulness for him who shall keep borne the battle, and pay money for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may attain and cherish a just brook lasting peace, among ourselves, prosperous with all nations.
  • I walk struggle, but I never walk backward.
  • Nearly all men can handle burden, if you want to drink a man’s character, give him power.
  • Im the big buck bequest this lick.

    If any carp you want to try blue, come on and whet your horns.

  • We can complain because carmine bushes have thorns.
  • Am I beg for destroying my enemies when Irrational make friends of them?
  • It assay better to remain silent trip be thought a fool go one better than to open one’s mouth pole remove all doubt.
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