Abraham Lincoln
"Four score, and seven years ago..."
Who is Abraham Lincoln?
¨I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.¨
He was never recalled as handsome, or even pretty for all I know though his ways with words and his fight for freedom is what we remember him for. He stood at 6’4, skinny, pale and long, with a tall black hat and a passion to learn. He was kind, caring, and a leader every single day of his life. He was hard-working, courageous and one of a kind. He became the 16th president, and helped a nation divided stay together. His legacy lives on and he continues to inspire, this is no other than the one and only Abraham Lincoln.Young Abe
Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 in log cabin in the rural part of Hodgenville, Kentucky. Born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, Abraham was named after his pioneer grandfather.Lincoln had an older sister Sarah and a younger brother Thomas that died in infancy. Growing up a Lincoln was not easy , they were very poor and when Abe was still a toddler the family was forced to move to north to Knob Creek, because of a land dispute. Abe had to take on a lot a responsibility at a young age, after the move, Sarah and Abe took responsibility of household chores. Both were very hard-working because while doing shores, the Lincoln siblings would also find every bit of free time to go to school. Abe was eager to learn and expand his knowledge, that passion for learning would help Abe get to where he would be in the future. When Abe was seven his family moved to Indiana, it was an 100 mile journey. By the time Abe was 8 he was clearing land with his father, planted crops, and built a new log cabin. Though, things only went from good to worst when Abe's mother passed away from "milk sickness" at when he was 8. (Attached is replica of Abe's log cabin that he was born in)
Growing Up
Thomas waited a year before getting married to Sarah Bush Johnson. Sarah had three children, and now the Lincoln family had gone from a family of three to a family of eight. Lincoln was growing up fast and starting digging wells, built pigpens, split fence rail, and felled tress for 25 cents a day. He was magic with his ax and very strong at a young age. Even though Abe wet to school, he mostly self taught himself by reading anything he got his hand on. At the age of 17, Abe left home for a few months to work as a ferryman's helper. On the seas Lincoln showed strong leadership skills, like when his boat hit a dam Lincoln took change by patching up the boat and saving all the supplies. When Lincoln was 21 years old he decided to move to New Salem, there he opened a small general store and started his political career by joining the New Salem Debating Society. The first time he debated he won, he was a natural born speaker and had a way with words. When the store failed in 1832, Lincoln decided to start his political career at 23 he tried running for Illinois state legislator. He lost the campaign, but the people loved Abe a and his personality. In 1837, Abe passed his bar exam to become a lawyer, but Lincoln wanted to take it to the next level.
President Lincoln
In 1842, while working in Springfield, Illinois as a lawyer Lincoln met Mary Todd Lincoln and got married to her on November 4th. Over the course of 5 year the couple had 4 children, their first born Robert, the son Edward that dies at the age of 3. Later they had a third son Willie, and a fourth Thomas who was nick named Tad for his large head. In 1846, Lincoln became a representative for the state of Illinois, though he felt that even during he 2 year term the had helped make no impact to the country. So after he finished his term he returned to another 6 years of law. What helped Abe get back into politics was the controversial subject of slavery. In 1854, when the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was issued. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was pretty much said citizens in the Kansas and Nebraska territories got to decided if slavery was legal or illegal, because both Kansas and Nebraska territories where is the north and south is (anything north of Missouri is "the north"). Though Kansas and Nebraska were territories not states so Abraham believed as many others did that slavery should not be legal in territory. Abe was not necessary an abolitionist, though he hated slavery and felt that is should be handled in way where violence would not erupt throughout the country. So Lincoln returned to politics and in 1854, he ran for senate and lost. While Lincoln was making a name for himself, the country was in a crisis the south wanted to break apart and start their own country. The the Democrat and Republican wanted Abe even thigh he supported the Whig party. Yet, the Republican choose Lincoln as their candidate. And when southern states heard of Lincoln's election they said they were no longer apart of the United States and formed the Confederate States Of America. Despite all troubles on November 6, 1860 Lincoln was elected 16th president of the United States Of America.
Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Address
President Abraham Lincoln 1st Inaugural Address - Hear and Read the Full Text
A Country Divided
Lincoln's presidency did not start off easy, because a month after he delivered he inauguration speech on April 12, 1861, southern soldiers fired on union soldiers property at Fort Sumter in South Carolina The Civil War had begun. Lincoln did not find it hard getting volunteers from the north to help the problem was finding a solution to end the war. Lincoln tried his best to stay positive through all of this he would spend time with his kids, and give speeches to congress about decisions that have to be made. Though in 1862, Abe's world turning came tumbling down when his younger son Willie died of typhoid fever at age eleven, Lincoln was devastated but made sure never to break down in public. As the war was reaching the end of its second year, neither side was winning and many lives were lost. It was getting harder to pay for war so Abe issues a law. Abe was not sure a president could just ban slavery or do anything like that so he made an act stating if any slave ran away from their owner or was captured by the Union Army the would be free. This was called the Emancipation Proclamation, it was issued on January 1st, 1863, after that over 200,000 slaves joined the Union Army. The war continued and many lives were lost, therefore a cemetery was built to remember all the lives of the Confederate and Union soldiers that were lost. The dedication of the cemetery was November 19, 1863 there Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.
Gettysburg Address
Above is a copy of Lincoln address at the Gettysburg cemetery memorial.
Lincoln's Family
Above is a picture of Lincoln's family in 1862 after the death of Tad. Robert is between both of his parents and Thomas (Tad) on his father's lap.
Civil War
Above is a drawing of the Civil War during the Battle Of Fredricksburg.
Words To Know
Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854- allowed citizens in Kansas and Nebraska territories to decided if slavery was legal or not.
abolitionist- a person that wanted to abolish or put an end to slavery
Emancipation Proclamation- a law made freeing all slaves that escaped their master or were captured by the Union Army
Gettysburg Address- a speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of soldiers' cemetery, at the site of the Battle Of Gettysburg.
Thirteenth Amendment- an addition to the United States Constitution banning slavery
Farewell Lincoln
In 1864 Lincoln's first term was coming to an end, though he continued to help the Union, and his work payed off because in the beginning of 1865 the war was over, on April 9, 1865 after almost 4 years of fighting the Union won. With peace restored in America, with Lincoln's encouragement congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment outlawing slaving in all of America. In his second inauguration speech Lincoln welcomed the South back to the United States and they accepted. Many rejoiced and were happy, though some were mad and had a strong hate for what Lincoln did. Days later on April 14, 1865 John Wilkes Booth shot and assassinated Abram Lincoln while he was at a therefore. Lincoln was carried out of the theater to a small house across the street, and after 9 hours in a coma Abram Lincoln dies on April 15, 1865 at 56 years old.
Five Fun Facts!
- He was a big animal lover, he would not hunt of fish.
- He hated being called Abe he preferred Lincoln.
- Someone shot Lincoln in 1864 and it put a hole in his top hat.
- Lincoln battled depression his whole life.
- Lincoln's life was saved twice when he was young.
Lincoln's Legacy
Many mourned the death of Abraham Lincoln they wondered how and where they would find another leader to lead the country. And even today 200 years after his birth Lincoln is constant honored and remembered, he is on the 5 dollar bill, and penny and several films and plays have been written about him. Also, there is a Lincoln memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor him. Abraham Lincoln always wanted to make an impact on the world, and his courage and passion to help others will always be remembered.