who was abraham lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, a towering figure who led the nation through its darkest hour—the Civil War—while championing the end of slavery. His life story, from humble log cabin origins to the White House, embodies the American dream of self-made success amid profound challenges.
Early Life
Born on February 12, 1809 , in a one-room log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky, Lincoln grew up in poverty as the son of frontiersman Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. His family moved to Indiana and later Illinois, where he faced hardships like his mother's death and sparse formal education—only about 18 months total, mostly self-taught through borrowed books.
By his early 20s, he worked odd jobs: flatboatman on the Mississippi, store clerk, and postmaster, all while devouring literature like the Bible, Shakespeare, and law books. This relentless self-education shaped his sharp wit and storytelling prowess, traits that later captivated audiences.
Rise to Politics
Lincoln's political journey began in 1832 as a militia captain during the Black Hawk War, though he saw no combat. Elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1834 as a Whig, he championed infrastructure like the Illinois & Michigan Canal and earned a law license in 1836 , practicing in Springfield.
His 1858 Senate race against Stephen A. Douglas thrust him nationally. The Lincoln-Douglas debates —seven riveting showdowns on slavery's expansion—didn't win him the seat but showcased his moral clarity: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." This propelled his 1860 Republican presidential nomination.
Presidency (1861–1865)
Inaugurated on March 4, 1861 , amid Southern secession, Lincoln faced immediate crisis—Fort Sumter fell days later, igniting the Civil War. He preserved the Union masterfully, appointing rivals like William Seward to his "Team of Rivals" cabinet and finding his general in Ulysses S. Grant.
Key actions defined his tenure:
- Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863): Freed slaves in Confederate states, reframing the war as a fight for liberty and adding 180,000 Black soldiers to Union ranks.
- Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863): A 272-word masterpiece honoring fallen soldiers: "...government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
- Pushed the 13th Amendment (1865), abolishing slavery nationwide.
Re-elected in 1864 amid war, his second inaugural pledged "malice toward none, with charity for all ," envisioning merciful Reconstruction. The war ended April 9, 1865, with Robert E. Lee's surrender.
Milestone| Date| Impact
---|---|---
Emancipation Proclamation| Jan 1, 1863| Freed 3.5M+ slaves in rebel states;
shifted war's moral focus 17
Gettysburg Address| Nov 19, 1863| Redefined democracy; ~600K war dead by end 3
13th Amendment Passed| Jan 31, 1865| Ended legal slavery forever 1
Lee's Surrender| Apr 9, 1865| Union victory after 4 bloody years 35
Assassination & Legacy
On April 14, 1865 , just days after victory, Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth, dying the next morning at 56. His martyrdom cemented his saintly status.
Lincoln modernized the economy (Homestead Act, transcontinental railroad), strengthened federal power, and symbolized equality—his face adorns the penny and Mount Rushmore. Modern views praise his pragmatism: abolitionist hero to some, overreaching executive to critics debating his suspensions of habeas corpus.
"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true." —Lincoln, reflecting his principled grit.
TL;DR : Self-taught lawyer from nowhere who saved the Union, freed the enslaved, and paid with his life—Lincoln's story still inspires amid today's divides.
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