Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was born into poverty on the 12th of February 1809, in a log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. His father Thomas Lincoln worked as a farmer and cabinetmaker while struggling to secure clear property titles for their land. The family moved to Indiana in 1816 where they settled on a forested plot in Little Pigeon Creek Community. Nancy Hanks Lincoln died from milk sickness on the 5th of October 1818, leaving eleven-year-old Sarah to manage the household with her nine-year-old brother Abraham. Thomas remarried Sarah Bush Johnston on the 2nd of December 1819, and Abraham became close to his stepmother whom he called Mama. Formal schooling lasted less than twelve months by age fifteen yet Lincoln remained an avid reader throughout his life. When he was older he carried goods by flatboat to New Orleans Louisiana where slave markets left an indelible impression on him. He later described observing slavery firsthand as repulsive to his nature.
Lincoln admitted to the Illinois bar on the 9th of September 1836 after reading law texts like Blackstone's Commentaries without formal instruction. He practiced law in Springfield handling virtually every kind of business that could come before a prairie lawyer including river barge conflicts under new railroad bridges. In 1849 he received a patent for a flotation device for moving riverboats though it never commercialized. He appeared before the Illinois Supreme Court in four hundred eleven cases representing clients ranging from bridge companies to murder defendants. His most famous case involved William Duff Armstrong who faced murder charges in 1858. Lincoln produced a Farmers' Almanac showing the moon was at a low angle reducing visibility when witnesses claimed they saw the crime in moonlight. Armstrong walked free after this demonstration challenged eyewitness credibility. He also defended Peachy Quinn Harrison in an 1859 murder case using dying declaration testimony that had been excluded initially. The judge admitted the evidence resulting in Harrison's acquittal despite political pressure against Lincoln.
Stephen A Douglas proposed the Kansas Nebraska Act which passed Congress in May 1854 allowing territories to decide slavery status through popular sovereignty. Lincoln delivered his Peoria Speech in October 1854 declaring opposition to slavery and marking his return to political life. Seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas during the 1858 Senate campaign drew thousands of people to each event. Though Republicans won more popular votes Democrats secured more seats enabling Douglas reelection. Lincoln gained national attention through these debates despite lacking support in the Northeast. On the 27th of February 1860 he spoke at Cooper Union in New York City arguing Founding Fathers restricted slavery expansion. Journalist Noah Brooks reported no man made such an impression on his first appeal to a New York audience. At the Republican National Convention in Chicago on the 18th of May 1860 Lincoln won the nomination on the third ballot. Hannibal Hamlin of Maine became his running mate balancing the ticket geographically. On the 6th of November 1860 Lincoln received one million eight hundred sixty-six thousand four hundred fifty-two votes representing thirty-nine point eight percent of the total. No ballots were cast for him in ten of fifteen Southern slave states yet he carried free Northern states plus California and Oregon decisively.
Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter on the 12th of April 1861 after Lincoln decided to send provisions though he could not be sure this would precipitate war. He called for seventy-five thousand militiamen on April 15 to recapture forts protect Washington and preserve the Union. North Carolina Virginia Tennessee and Arkansas seceded following this call. Baltimore mobs attacked Union troops changing trains on April 19 leading Lincoln to suspend habeas corpus allowing arrests without formal charges. John Merryman successfully petitioned Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney who wrote Ex parte Merryman declaring only Congress could suspend habeas corpus. Under various suspensions fifteen thousand civilians were detained without trial including anti-war Democrat Clement L Vallandigham tried in military courts. Lincoln selected civilian generals from varied political backgrounds early in the war to secure their constituents support. He replaced Simon Cameron with Edwin Stanton as war secretary in January 1862 after complaints of inefficiency. Stanton worked more closely with Lincoln than any other senior official conducting the war virtually together. George B McClellan created defenses for Washington with forty-eight forts manned by seven thousand two hundred artillerists yet his slow progress frustrated Lincoln. Lincoln removed McClellan as general-in-chief in 1862 elevating Henry Halleck instead.
On the 22nd of July 1862 Lincoln reviewed a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation with his cabinet though Senator Willard Saulsbury Sr criticized it stating it would light its author to dishonor through future generations. Horace Greeley editor of the New-York Tribune implored Lincoln to embrace emancipation in The Prayer of Twenty Millions letter. On the 22nd of September 1862 Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation following Union victory at Antietam. He signed the final version on the 1st of January 1863 freeing slaves in ten states not under Union control. Eleven states had seceded but Tennessee came under Union control exempting it from the proclamation. Black people enslaved and free gathered across the United States on New Year's Eve 1862 holding Watch Night ceremonies for Freedom's Eve looking toward promised fulfillment. Enlisting freedmen became official policy after the proclamation. Lincoln wrote to Tennessee military governor Andrew Johnson stating fifty thousand armed black soldiers on Mississippi banks would end rebellion immediately. Congress passed an amendment abolishing slavery nationwide by December 1863 which Senate approved the 8th of April 1864. House vote failed initially but second attempt passed the 31st of January 1865 ratifying Thirteenth Amendment December 1865.
Congress passed Revenue Act of 1861 creating first U.S federal income tax imposing flat three percent rate on annual incomes above eight hundred dollars. Representative Schuyler Colfax declared during debate he could not tell constituents voting allowed millionaires exempt while farmers paid taxes. Average urban worker made approximately six hundred dollars per year so many were not required to pay income taxes. Legal Tender Act passed February 1862 authorizing minting one hundred fifty million greenbacks first banknotes issued since American Revolution ended. Greenbacks backed by government promise rather than gold or silver totaling four hundred fifty million in circulation by war end. Revenue Act of 1862 established excise tax affecting nearly every commodity plus first national inheritance tax adding progressive structure to federal income tax. Office of Commissioner Internal Revenue created collecting these taxes. National debt grew from sixty-five million dollars in 1860 to over two billion dollars in 1866. Lincoln signed False Claims Act of 1863 imposing penalties for false claims enabling private citizens filing qui tam lawsuits sharing recovery. National Banking Act passed 1863 establishing Office Comptroller Currency overseeing national banks subject to federal regulation. Homestead Act 1862 made millions acres western land available purchase low cost Morrill Land Grant Colleges Act provided agricultural college grants Pacific Railway Acts supported transcontinental railroad construction completed 1869.
Lincoln ran for reelection in 1864 under new National Union Party label selecting Andrew Johnson War Democrat as running mate. Democratic nominee former general McClellan faced him though Republican victories at Atlanta September and Shenandoah Valley October turned public opinion. Lincoln won election with fifty-five point one percent popular vote plus two hundred twelve electoral votes compared to McClellan's twenty-one. Alexander H Stephens Confederate vice president met Lincoln and Seward Hampton Roads the 3rd of February 1865 refusing negotiation as coequal only agreement concerning prisoner exchange. Lincoln delivered second inaugural address the 4th of March 1865 closing words inscribed in Lincoln Memorial stating government people by people shall not perish earth. Lee surrendered Appomattox the 9th of April 1865 signaling war end triggering subsequent surrenders across South including North Carolina Alabama trans-Mississippi Theater CSS Shenandoah November 1865 surrender. Lincoln issued Amnesty Proclamation the 8th of December 1863 offering pardons those signing oath allegiance if they held no Confederate civil office mistreated prisoners. Radicals led Thaddeus Stevens Charles Sumner Benjamin Wade opposed lenient policy passing Wade Davis Bill pocket vetoed Lincoln. Tennessee Arkansas appointed Andrew Johnson Frederick Steele military governors Louisiana ordered Nathaniel P Banks promote plan reestablishing statehood when ten percent voters agreed abolishing slavery. Senate passed Freedmen Bureau bill signed Lincoln establishing temporary federal agency meeting immediate needs former slaves opening land lease three years ability purchase title.
John Wilkes Booth well-known actor Confederate spy from Maryland attended Lincoln last public address the 11th of April 1865 where franchise conferred some Black men specifically intelligent serving cause soldiers. Booth plotted assassinate President Grant attending Ford's Theatre play Our American Cousin evening April 14. Grant decided New Jersey visit children instead leaving Lincoln alone with wife Mary Todd Lincoln. At ten fifteen pm Booth entered theater box crept up behind firing back of head mortally wounding him. Guest Major Henry Rathbone grappled Booth stabbed escaping though attended by doctors Charles Leale two others taken Petersen House across street remained coma nine hours died seven twenty-two am April 15. Body wrapped flag placed coffin loaded hearse escorted White House Union soldiers Johnson sworn president later day. Two weeks later Booth located shot killed farm Virginia Sergeant Boston Corbett. Funeral train followed circuitous route Washington D.C Springfield Illinois stopping cities memorials hundreds thousands attended bands bonfires hymn singing silent grief Walt Whitman composed four elegies including When Lilacs Last Dooryard Bloom'd O Captain My Captain. Buried Oak Ridge Cemetery Springfield within Lincoln Tomb now lies. Historians emphasize widespread shock sorrow noting some hated Lincoln celebrated death yet ranked greatest president American history popular scholarly polls.
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Common questions
When and where was Abraham Lincoln born?
Abraham Lincoln was born on the 12th of February 1809 in a log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. His father Thomas Lincoln worked as a farmer and cabinetmaker while struggling to secure clear property titles for their land.
What legal case did Abraham Lincoln win using a Farmers' Almanac?
Lincoln won the murder trial of William Duff Armstrong in 1858 by producing a Farmers' Almanac showing the moon was at a low angle reducing visibility when witnesses claimed they saw the crime in moonlight. This demonstration challenged eyewitness credibility and resulted in Armstrong walking free.
How many votes did Abraham Lincoln receive during his election in November 1860?
On the 6th of November 1860 Abraham Lincoln received one million eight hundred sixty-six thousand four hundred fifty-two votes representing thirty-nine point eight percent of the total. No ballots were cast for him in ten of fifteen Southern slave states yet he carried free Northern states plus California and Oregon decisively.
When did Abraham Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation?
Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on the 22nd of September 1862 following Union victory at Antietam. He signed the final version on the 1st of January 1863 freeing slaves in ten states not under Union control.
Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln and where did it happen?
John Wilkes Booth entered Ford's Theatre box at ten fifteen pm on April 14 to fire back of head mortally wounding Abraham Lincoln. The President died seven twenty-two am April 15 after remaining in a coma for nine hours at Petersen House across the street from the theater.