Abraham Lincoln biography. Abraham Lincoln President biography

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The liberator of American slaves, the national hero of the American people, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky on February 12, 1809.

Increased Lincoln in the family of a poor farmer - he was engaged in physical labor from a very early age. Due to the difficult financial situation of his family, he attended school for no more than a year, but managed to learn to read and write and fell in love with books. When he grew up, he worked at many jobs: at the post office, as a lumberjack, as a hunter, etc. He did not have time for education and, as many sources say: at that time he only read the “Bible” and.

Having become an adult, he began an independent life, educated himself, passed exams and received permission to practice law. During the Indian uprising in Illinois, he joined the militia and was elected captain, but did not take part in the fighting. He was also a member of the Illinois Legislative Assembly, the House of Representatives of the US Congress, in which he opposed the Mexican-American War. In 1858 he became a candidate for US senator, but lost the election.

As an opponent of the expansion of slavery into new territories, he was one of the initiators of the creation Republican Party, was chosen as her presidential candidate and won the 1860 election. His election signaled the secession of the southern states and the emergence of the Confederacy. In his inaugural speech he called for the reunification of the country, but was unable to prevent conflict.

Lincoln personally directed the military efforts that led to victory over the Confederacy during Civil War 1861-1865. His presidency led to the strengthening of executive power and the abolition of slavery in the United States. Lincoln included his opponents in the government and was able to bring them to work towards a common goal.

The President kept Great Britain and other European countries from intervention throughout the war. During his presidency, the transcontinental railroad was built, the Homestead Act was adopted, which resolved the agrarian question. Lincoln was an outstanding orator, his speeches inspired northerners and remain a shining legacy to this day.

At the end of the war, he proposed a plan for moderate Reconstruction, associated with national harmony and renunciation of revenge. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was mortally wounded in a theater, becoming the first US president to be assassinated. According to conventional wisdom and social polls, he remains one of America's best and most beloved presidents, although he was subject to severe criticism during his presidency.

"Evening Moscow" brings to your attention a selection of interesting facts from the biography of the legendary politician.

1. Before becoming President of the United States, Lincoln lost in 18 elections. His life serves as the clearest illustration of the phenomenal success built with his own hands:

1831 – went bankrupt in business, declared bankrupt;

1832 - defeated in elections to the legislative chamber of his state;

1834 – again burned out in business and again declared bankrupt:

1835 -1836 – personal failures and, as a result, a severe nervous breakdown, was treated for a long time;

1838 – defeated in the next elections;

1843, 1846, 1848 - defeated in elections to the US Congress;

1855 - defeated in elections to the Senate;

1856 - defeated as a candidate for the post of Vice President of the United States;

1858 - defeated in elections to the Senate;

1860 – elected President of the United States.

2. Lincoln was an incredibly tall man(193 cm), and his long hat added a few more inches to his height. He used the hat not only as a fashion item, but also as a storage place for money, letters and important notes. It was called "chimney" because it resembled a pipe.

3. The President was not only a wonderful politician, but also had a great sense of humor. One day a diplomat asked him: "Mr. Lincoln, do you shine your own shoes?" “Yes, whose shoes are you cleaning?” the president asked him in response.

4. When Lincoln was still a simple lawyer, an incident occurred that went down in US history: one of the court clerks was fined for insulting the court. Here is how it was. Lincoln entered the courtroom when the court hearing was already underway, approached one of the secretaries and told him such a funny story that he could not stand it and laughed out loud. The angry judge said: “I demand an end to this outrage, so you can fine yourself five dollars.” It was pretty decent money back then. The secretary apologized to the judge and everyone present, paid the fine, but said that the anecdote he heard was worth that amount. After the end of the meeting, the judge called this secretary and asked him to tell an anecdote from Lincoln. After listening to it, he also could not help laughing and said with difficulty: "You can take your fine back". Unfortunately, the anecdote remained unknown.

5. Lincoln was incredibly smart, thoughtful, and skilled with words. The proof of this fact is his speeches that he wrote and delivered as an inspirational speaker. There are many records of his addresses except one, which he gave in 1856 in Illinois. Many say this was his best speech.

6. During the American Civil War, one of the leaders of the northern army, General McClellan, who was a supporter of wait-and-see tactics in warfare, received a letter from Lincoln with the following content: “My dear general! If you don’t need your army now, I wanted I'd like to borrow it for a while. Best regards, Lincoln."

7. Abraham Lincoln was the only US president who had saloon license. He was co-owner of the Berry and Lincoln establishment in Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln's favorite sport is cockfighting.

8. In 2004, employees of a company that scanned old texts discovered an emoticon that looked like ;) in the summary of Abraham Lincoln's 1862 speech after the word laughter (translated as “laughter”). Whether this was a typo or an example of outdated punctuation, experts disagreed.

9. Surprisingly, Lincoln was keenly interested in and adored the latest inventions of his time. He was interested in how they worked and always tried to understand the workings of the mechanisms. He himself tried to make several devices, and he managed to create one device in 1849. It was a floating dry dock. He even managed to patent the device, but, despite his expectations, the machine was not finished.

10. With Lincoln's son, Robert Lincoln, some kind of misfortune constantly happened. Robert Todd Lincoln was present when three presidents were assassinated: his father, President Garfield, and President McKinley. After the last incident, he refused to attend state events. Another interesting fact about Robert is that he was saved from a terrible train wreck by none other than Edwin Booth. Edwin Booth was the brother of his father's murderer, John Booth.

11. Lincoln believed in spirituality, but not in religion itself. Although he claimed to be a true Christian, he never specified his religion. Representatives of various movements claim that he adhered to their religion, but in fact this is not accurate, since he never went to church or prayed at all. He once stated that he really wanted him and his people to be on the side of God himself, and not the church.

12. They said that Lincoln believed in dark forces. But even if he didn’t really believe, he certainly didn’t reject them. He and his wife conducted séances to contact their dead children. It is not known whether they managed to establish contact.

13. Many people believe that Lincoln actually had mystical abilities. They began to manifest themselves especially towards the end of his life. He knew the date of his death and how he would die. He said that he saw his double reflection in the mirror, and the second one was blurry. It was rumored that a week before his death, Lincoln announced that he had a dream in which he heard loud crying from a room in the White House. He started looking for the room and when he finally found it, he saw a coffin standing in the center. When he asked people who died, they replied that it was the president. Looking into the coffin, Lincoln saw himself.

14. The President was assassinated in the theater John Wilkes Booth in 1865. Ironically, he died in the same bed in which his killer slept. As the funeral procession passed Ford's Theater, where Lincoln was shot, one of the building's cornices fell off.

15. Lincoln's body was reburied 17 times. This was either due to reconstruction of the tomb or for security reasons. At the same time, his coffin was opened six times. Only in 1901, 36 years after his death, did the president find final peace. There is a belief that Lincoln's ghost haunts the White House.

The liberator of American slaves, the national hero of the American people, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky on February 12, 1809.

"Evening Moscow" brings to your attention a selection of interesting facts from the biography of the legendary politician.

1. Before becoming President of the United States, Lincoln lost in 18 elections. His life serves as the clearest illustration of the phenomenal success built with his own hands:

1831 – went bankrupt in business, declared bankrupt;

1832 - defeated in elections to the legislative chamber of his state;

1834 – again burned out in business and again declared bankrupt:

1835 -1836 – personal failures and, as a result, a severe nervous breakdown, was treated for a long time;

1838 – defeated in the next elections;

1843, 1846, 1848 - defeated in elections to the US Congress;

1855 - defeated in elections to the Senate;

1856 - defeated as a candidate for the post of Vice President of the United States;

1858 - defeated in elections to the Senate;

1860 – elected President of the United States.

7. Abraham Lincoln was the only US president who had saloon license. He was co-owner of the Berry and Lincoln establishment in Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln's favorite sport is cockfighting.

- politician, writer, national hero, American statesman who left an unforgettable mark on the history of his country. Abraham Lincoln - 16th President of the United States (1861-1865).

The biography of Abraham Lincoln is amazing and varied.

Our hero was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln's date of birth is February 12, 1809. He lived only 56 years (the date of death of Abraham Lincoln is April 15, 1865).

He was born into a wealthy farming family. They owned pastures, hundreds of head of cattle, several stone houses in the city, but his father Thomas Lincoln got something wrong in the ownership documents.

Because of this legal error, the family lost everything and was forced to move from their home to develop new lands in Indiana. Then Abraham was seven years old. Further childhood of the future President Abraham Lincoln passed in poverty.

In 1818, two years later, Abraham's mother Nancy Hanks died. The father marries the widow Sarah Bush Johnston, who already had children of her own. The relationship with my stepmother was quite warm. Relations with my father gradually deteriorated.

Lincoln's father couldn't read and wanted his son to grow up to be a hardworking guy like himself. The will to knowledge pulled Abe (as he was called then) in the other direction. However, he only went to school for one year. Abraham Lincoln acquired all further knowledge through self-education, which he was always proud of. He worked during the day and read at night. This often happened to the detriment of work. But neighbors often asked him for help - he wrote letters and drafted documents, acquiring new skills and experience.

In his youth, Abe traveled down the Mississippi River, where he became an opponent of slavery. Here, in the village of New Salem, he continued his self-education.

In 1832, Abraham Lincoln ran for a seat in the Illinois Legislature. That time he was defeated.

In 1832, an uprising of Indians broke out in Illinois, who did not want to leave their native places and move west, beyond the Mississippi. Lincoln participated in the militia against the Indians and was even promoted to captain.

In 1833, Abe was appointed postmaster in the town where he lived, New Salem. Here he had a lot of free time for self-education and the opportunity to read newspapers and keep abreast of the political affairs of the country.

At the end of 1833, Lincoln received the position of surveyor and again used this chance to deeply study highly specialized knowledge in topography, geometry, and trigonometry. He worked hard on self-education.

When Lincoln lived in New Salem, he often had to borrow money. He always repaid debts meticulously and honestly, which earned him the nickname “Honest Abe.”

In 1835, at age 26, he became a member of the Illinois Legislature, becoming an opponent of the Democratic President.

In 1836, Lincoln passed the bar exams after studying the law on his own. Abraham went many kilometers away to the city to attend courts to listen and gain practice in legal matters.

An amazing thirst for development, moving forward! Just a rare person, truly, the likes of which you won’t meet these days!!!

He has a good reputation and excellent oratory skills. He strengthens his impeccable reputation by providing free legal assistance to the poor.

In the same 1836, in the Legislative Assembly, Lincoln managed to achieve the transfer of the state capital from Vandaleia to Springfield.

In 1837, Lincoln moved to the state capital of Springfield.

In 1842, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd. She bore him four sons, three of whom died in childhood. Only the eldest, Robert Todd Lincoln, survived. Years of life: 1843 -1926. He was known as a lawyer and minister of war. Had three children.

In 1846, Abraham Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives from the Whig Party. The Mexican-American War began. Lincoln opposes US aggression because... this will lead to aggravation of internal relations in the country, in which at this time the problem of Negro slavery is worsening.

Abraham Lincoln advocated the gradual emancipation of slaves. In his opinion, this

In 1849, Abraham retired from politics and entered the practice of law, becoming one of the leading lawyers in the state. He accepts an offer to become a lawyer for the Illinois Central railroad.

Lincoln's legal career spans 23 years.

1854 marked the founding of the Republican Party, which included former Whigs, including Abraham Lincoln. He initiated the creation of this party. He is nominated for a seat in the US Senate.

In a debate with Democratic challenger Stephen Douglas, he denounced slavery on moral grounds.

Today one could call Lincoln a racist and even a fascist, because... he considered blacks to be an inferior race. He was convinced of the impossibility of equal coexistence between blacks and whites. He also opposed the expansion of plantations into undeveloped territories, which, of course, aroused the anger of slave owners.

In 1858, Lincoln became a candidate for US Senator. Then he lost the election.

Now his name is "Uncle Abe."

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, the Republican Party candidate, won the election for President of the United States of America.

In 1861, the US Civil War began and lasted until 1865. The election of Abraham Lincoln as president signaled the start of this war, and the southern states seceded from the northern. First, without waiting for the inauguration, seven states, led by South Carolina, announced their withdrawal from the United States. Then eight more states join them.

In February 1861, in the city of Montgomery (Alabama), secessionists proclaimed the Confederate States of America, led by Jefferson Davis. The capital of the Confederacy was the city of Richmond.

Lincoln called for the reunification of the country in his inaugural address, but the conflict had already flared up. Confederates, confident in their moral and military superiority, are preparing for active hostilities.

The South had military superiority over the North because... The army of the south was led by talented generals, combat-ready units and well-motivated officers. Arsenals of weapons were replenished long before the start of the conflict. Finally, the very real hope that Great Britain would support - all this generally contributed to the victories of the southerners in the first months of the confrontation.

President Abraham Lincoln competently leads the civil war, forms a combat-ready army, and blocks the enemy from the sea. Military conscription is introduced and civil liberties are limited.

Already in February-March 1861, the scales tipped to the side of the federates. The army of the North ousts the army of the southerners, first from Kentucky and Tennessee, then from Mississippi.

Advancing with varying success, the north is pushing back the enemy.

On December 30, 1862, the President signed a piece of legislation, the Emancipation Proclamation.

Now all black slaves were declared free.

A turning point occurred in the Civil War: a huge number of blacks joined the ranks of the army of the north. The war began to have a liberation character.

Lincoln achieved the neutrality of England and France. Russian Emperor Alexander II, sympathizing with the US President, sent a squadron to New York and San Francisco.

With a strong-willed effort, old Abe managed to gather the economic and military power of the North into a fist and crush the southern slaveholders.

Lincoln understood and loved his people very much, for which grateful American citizens responded to him with universal support.

In 1864, Lincoln was re-elected to a second term.

On April 9, 1865, Confederate Commander-in-Chief Lee signed a surrender. President Jefferson Davis was arrested. The south was given over to plunder by merchants and bankers. Wanting to humiliate whites, blacks were often specially appointed to government positions, because the abolition of slavery did not at all mean an expansion of freedom and opportunities for former slaves. For many years the South was doomed to humiliation and poverty.

Abraham Lincoln is credited with facts such as the fact that this man was able to keep the country from collapse, solved the agrarian problem, and created a new banking system. In addition, Lincoln saved the United States from the shame of slavery, although there was hypocrisy in society towards blacks. The abolition of slavery was one of Abraham Lincoln's major democratic reforms.

If you want to succeed, continue to believe in yourself even when no one believes in you anymore.

He remained one of America's best and most beloved presidents, a liberator of American slaves, a national hero of the American people, although he was subject to severe criticism during his presidency. The outstanding biography of Abraham Lincoln is proof of this.

You can read an article about Soviet fashion models Regina Zbarskaya and Marina Ivleva .

Abraham Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln, February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) is one of the most famous presidents of the United States of America. He was the sixteenth in this post. Famous for his fight for the abolition of slavery and the rights of black people.

Childhood and youth

Abraham was born in 1809 into a family of poor and illiterate farmers. Their Sinking Spring farm brought in very little income, and the housing for people and animals was little different from each other. It is noteworthy that at one time Lincoln’s father was one of the wealthiest people in the area, but due to a legal error in paperwork, he lost all his property.

No one in those days thought about the happy and carefree childhood of their offspring. Everyone worked together to the best of their ability on the land. Abraham himself rarely had the opportunity to attend school. And after his mother died and the family began to move frequently, he had to give up his studies altogether.

However, this only pushed the boy to self-education. He enjoyed learning to read and write and constantly read books. At a very young age, he mastered the Bible, as well as Aesop's fables and The History of Benjamin Washington. To improve his writing and earn extra money at the same time, he regularly wrote letters for his illiterate neighbors.

After another move, the Lincoln family ended up in New Orleans. Here, Abraham, who had already matured, saw something that could not be found in the northern states in which he had previously lived. A slave market with all the nightmares and mockeries of human nature opened before his eyes. This sight amazed him so much that it stuck in his brain for many years.

Thanks to his education, Lincoln could apply for a clean and well-paid job far from cattle and fields. He changed many occupations, was a clerk, a postmaster, and was a member of the militia.

Carier start

At just 26 years old, Abraham Lincoln had already become a member of the Illinois Legislature. In this position, he had the opportunity to study the political world from the inside. A lot of things did not suit him and even seemed wrong. Therefore, the young man began to study law with renewed energy. He mastered the discipline perfectly, which he proved in 1836 by passing the exam brilliantly and receiving the title of lawyer.

Together with his like-minded person, Lincoln founded a law office. He quickly formed a whole line of wealthy clients. At the same time, he helped low-income people for free.

In 1856, Abraham Lincoln became a member of the newly formed Republican Party. Already in this role in 1856 he ran for the Senate. Despite the loss, it was this election campaign that opened him and his ideas to the citizens of the country. Lincoln's brilliant speech conveyed the message that America could no longer turn a blind eye to the existence of slavery.

President Lincoln

In 1860, Lincoln beat out all his rivals and took the post of President of America. This event led to the start of the Civil War. However, it also became a powerful impetus for the development of the country.

The southern states, which had long prospered from the labor of slaves, came out sharply against the newly elected leader. They announced their separation. However, the President did not recognize their independence. On the contrary, he declared all slaves free. The southern states could not resist the power of the regular army. They lost the war.

New presidential term

In 1864, Lincoln was re-elected President. He understood perfectly well that the country after the Civil War needed restoration. The law on allocating land to all citizens was a significant step in this, but much more remained to be done.

The President made bold plans for the future. He was convinced that a country that had thrown off the shackles of slavery would develop rapidly. Lincoln promised pardon to all participants in the rebellion, with the exception of particularly distinguished leaders.

Death

Unfortunately, he was not destined to bring all this to life. In 1865, Lincoln went to Ford's Theater for his last performance.

One of the actors, J. W. Booth, fanatically loyal to the Southerners and hating the Northerners with all his heart, snuck into his box. No one expected that he brought a gun with him.

A shot to the head killed the great President. However, his ideas had already taken root on fertile soil, and there was no possibility of returning to the past.

The 16th President of the United States is buried in Oak Rog Cemetery.

English Abraham Lincoln ; Uncle Abe (Uncle Abe)

American statesman, 16th President of the United States, liberator of American slaves, national hero of the American people

short biography

US statesman, one of the founders of the Republican Party, 16th US President, who freed the slaves, national American hero - was born in the village. Hodgenville (Kentucky) February 12, 1809 Due to the fact that he was born into a farming family with meager income, Abraham was unable to receive a full education, went to school for no more than a year, and was introduced to physical work from an early age. At the age of eight, the boy and his parents moved to an area in Indiana where there was no school nearby. Nevertheless, little Lincoln learned to read and write and fell in love with reading. For him, it forever became an assistant in diligent self-education and a favorite pastime.

Young Lincoln had a chance to try a variety of jobs - day laborer, carpenter, postman, lumberjack. In 1830, their family moved to New Salem (Illinois), and Abraham worked as a land surveyor and small clerk in a trading store. During the Black Falcon Indian War, Lincoln volunteered for the militia because... the Indians at one time killed his grandfather and grandmother (on his father's side). He was chosen as a captain, but served only briefly and did not have the chance to participate in battles.

Working during 1833-1836. postmaster, Lincoln simultaneously studied law, passed the exam and in 1836 received permission to practice law, which he engaged in for subsequent years. In this field he succeeded, becoming one of the best lawyers in the state, at one time collaborating with the Illinois Central railroad as a consultant. Confident professional growth and strengthening of authority were also facilitated by such qualities as a sharp mind, integrity, honesty, and a pronounced gift of eloquence.

Lincoln's political biography began in the early 30s with an unsuccessful attempt to take a seat in the state House of Representatives. However, already in 1835, young A. Lincoln was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the State of Illinois, in which he joined the Whig party. Until 1842, he served as chairman of the finance committee and one of the leading figures in his party.

The next step in his political career was his election to the US Congress in 1847. Lincoln advocated for the expansion of political and civil rights of the broadest masses of the population, for women to receive the right to vote. Fighting slavery, the politician defended stopping the spread of slavery throughout the country. In 1854, Lincoln acted as one of the organizers of the Republican Party. In 1858, he was a candidate for US senator, but he failed to win the election.

In 1860, Lincoln was elected President of the United States; he served as head of state from March 1861 to April 1865. The South responded to his appointment with secession, despite the fact that the position of the new president was moderate in relation to slavery; The Civil War began in the country (1861-1865). Adopted in May 1862, the so-called The Homestead Act, which gave American citizens land plots, was a powerful blow to the slave system and helped solve the agrarian question. On December 30, 1862, the President signed the Emancipation Proclamation, thanks to which 4 million people were freed from the yoke of slavery. In 1863, government troops won major, turning-point victories that ultimately allowed them to break the resistance of the South and restore the unity of the nation.

In 1864, Lincoln was re-elected for a second presidential term, although he himself doubted the correctness of the decision to run for office again, and some political forces also opposed it. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln, who was in Washington at Ford's Theater for a performance, was wounded: he was shot by actor J. W. Booth, a supporter of southern slaveholders. Without regaining consciousness, Lincoln died on the morning of April 15, thus becoming the first US president to be assassinated.

During his time in power, he was constantly subjected to sharp critical attacks, however, as the results of opinion polls say, Lincoln is still one of the most beloved and best, as well as, in his opinion, intellectual presidents of the country. A memorial was erected in Washington in honor of Abraham Lincoln as one of the four heads of the United States, whose activities determined the historical development of the state.

Biography from Wikipedia

He grew up in the family of a poor farmer. From an early age he was engaged in physical labor. Due to the difficult financial situation of his family, he attended school for no more than a year, but managed to learn to read and write and fell in love with books. Having become an adult, he began an independent life, educated himself, passed exams and received permission to practice law. During the Indian Uprising in Illinois, he joined the militia and was elected captain, but did not take part in the fighting. He was also a member of the Illinois Legislative Assembly, the House of Representatives of the US Congress, in which he opposed the Mexican-American War. In 1858 he became a candidate for US senator, but lost the election.

As an opponent of the expansion of slavery into new territories, he was one of the initiators of the creation of the Republican Party, was chosen as its presidential candidate and won the elections of 1860. His election signaled the secession of the southern states and the emergence of the Confederacy. In his inaugural speech he called for the reunification of the country, but was unable to prevent conflict.

Lincoln personally directed the military effort that led to victory over the Confederacy during the Civil War of 1861-1865. His presidency led to the strengthening of executive power and the abolition of slavery in the United States. Lincoln included his opponents in the government and was able to bring them to work towards a common goal. The President kept Great Britain and other European countries from intervention throughout the war. During his presidency, the transcontinental railroad was built, the Homestead Act was adopted, which resolved the agrarian question. Lincoln was an outstanding orator, his speeches inspired northerners and remain a shining legacy to this day. At the end of the war, he proposed a plan for moderate Reconstruction, associated with national harmony and renunciation of revenge. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was mortally wounded in a theater, becoming the first US president to be assassinated. According to conventional wisdom and social polls, he remains one of America's best and most beloved presidents, although he was subject to severe criticism during his presidency.

Childhood

Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, the son of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, who lived on the Sinking Spring farm in Garden County, Kentucky. His paternal grandfather Abraham, for whom the boy was later named, moved his family from Virginia to Kentucky, where he was ambushed and killed during a raid against Indians in 1786. Lincoln's mother, Nancy, was born in West Virginia. Together with her mother, she moved to Kentucky, where she met Thomas Lincoln, a respected and wealthy citizen of Kentucky. By the time Abraham was born to them, Thomas owned two farms totaling about 500 hectares, several buildings in the city, and a large number of livestock and horses. He was one of the richest men in the area. However, in 1816, Thomas loses all his lands in court cases due to a legal error in property rights.

The family moves north to Indiana to explore new free lands. Lincoln later noted that the move was largely due to legal problems with the land, but partly due to the situation with slavery in the South. At age nine, Abraham lost his mother and his older sister, Sarah, took on the responsibility of caring for him until their father remarried in 1819 to the widow Sarah Bush Johnston.

The stepmother, who had three children from her first marriage, quickly became close to young Lincoln, and in the end he even began to call her “mom.” Until the age of ten, Abraham disliked the housework that comes with a frontier lifestyle. Some in his family, as well as among his neighbors, even considered him lazy for a time. Later he began to willingly do everything that was required of him. Young Lincoln participated in field work, and, as he grew older, he worked in a variety of ways - at the post office, as a lumberjack, as a land surveyor and as a boatman. He was especially good at chopping wood. Lincoln avoided hunting and fishing because of his moral convictions. Lincoln also agreed to the customary obligation of a son to give his father all earnings from work outside the home until age 21.

At the same time, Lincoln became increasingly alienated from his father, in particular due to the latter's lack of education. Abraham became the first in the family to learn to write and count, although, according to his own admission, he attended school for no more than a year because of the need to help the family. Since childhood, he was addicted to books, and carried his love for them throughout his life. Dennis, his childhood friend, later wrote:

“After Abe was 12 years old, there was never a time when I saw him without a book in his hands... At night in the hut, he would knock over a chair, block the light with it, sit on his edge and read. It was just weird that a guy could read that much.”

As a child, Lincoln read the Bible, Robinson Crusoe, The History of George Washington, and Aesop's fables. In addition, he helped his neighbors write letters, thus honing their grammar and style. Sometimes he even walked 30 miles to court to hear lawyers speak.

Youth

In 1830, Abraham Lincoln's family moved again. Lincoln, having become an adult, decides to start an independent life. He found temporary work that took him down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, where Lincoln visited the slave market and maintained his lifelong dislike of slavery. He soon settled in the village of New Salem, Illinois. There he devoted all his free hours to self-education and classes with a local school teacher. At night, the future president read books by the light of a torch.

In 1832, Lincoln ran for a seat in the Illinois Legislature but was defeated. After this, he began to systematically study science. Lincoln initially wanted to become a blacksmith, but after meeting a justice of the peace, he took up law. At the same time, he and his companion tried to make money in a trading store, but things were not going well. Sandburg, author of a popular biography of the president, writes:

“...Lincoln did what he read and dreamed. He had nothing to do, and he could sit for days with his thoughts, no one would interrupt him. Beneath this outward immobility, mental and moral maturation took place, slowly and steadily.”

In 1832, an uprising of Indians broke out in Illinois, who did not want to leave their native places and move west, across the Mississippi River. Lincoln joined the militia and was elected captain, but did not take part in the fighting. In 1833, Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem. Thanks to this, he received more free time, which he devoted to studies. The new position allowed him to read political newspapers before leaving.

At the end of 1833, Lincoln received the position of surveyor. Having agreed to this work, he spent six weeks intensively studying Gibson's Theory and Practice of Surveying and Flint's Course in Geometry, Trigonometry and Topography.

During his years living in New Salem, Lincoln often had to borrow money. His habit of repaying his debts in full earned him one of his most famous nicknames - “Honest Abe.”

Beginning of a career as a politician and lawyer

In 1835 (at age 26), Lincoln was elected to the Illinois State Legislature, where he joined the Whigs. When Lincoln entered the political arena, Andrew Jackson was President of the United States. Lincoln welcomed his reliance on the people in political actions, but did not approve of the policy of the federal center refusing to regulate the economic life of the states. After the session of the Assembly, he took up the study of law even more decisively than before. Having studied on his own, Lincoln passed the bar exam in 1836. That same year, in the Legislative Assembly, Lincoln managed to achieve the transfer of the state capital from Vandaleia to Springfield, where he moved in 1837. There, together with William Butler, he united in the firm “Stuart and Lincoln”. The young legislator and lawyer quickly gained authority thanks to his oratorical abilities and impeccable reputation. He often refused to take fees from insolvent citizens whom he defended in court; traveled to different parts of the state to help people resolve litigation. After the assassination of an abolitionist newspaper publisher in 1837, Lincoln gave his first principled speech at the Young Men's Lyceum in Springfield, emphasizing the values of democracy, the Constitution, and the legacy of the Founding Fathers.

Family

In 1840, Lincoln met Mary Todd, a girl from Kentucky (English: Mary Todd, 1818-1882) and on November 4, 1842 they married. Mary gave birth to four sons, three of whom died in childhood before reaching adulthood:

Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926). Lincoln's eldest son. American lawyer and Secretary of War. He was married to Mary Harlan Lincoln, with whom he had three children.
Edward Lincoln was born March 10, 1846 and died February 1, 1850 in Springfield.
William Lincoln was born December 21, 1850 and died February 20, 1862 in Washington, during his father's presidency.
Thomas Lincoln was born April 4, 1853, died July 16, 1871 in Chicago.

Political career before presidency

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives (1847-1849) from the Whig Party. In Washington, not being a particularly influential figure, he, however, actively opposed the actions of President Polk in the Mexican-American War, considering it unjustified aggression on the part of the United States. Nevertheless, Lincoln voted for Congress to allocate funds for the army, for the material support of disabled soldiers, wives, and lost husbands, and also supported the demand for women's voting rights. Lincoln sympathized with the abolitionists and was an opponent of slavery, but did not recognize extreme measures and advocated the gradual emancipation of slaves, since he put the integrity of the Union above their freedom.

Popular opposition to the Mexican-American War damaged Lincoln's reputation in his home state, and he decided to forgo re-election to the House of Representatives. In 1849, Lincoln was notified that he had been appointed secretary of the then Oregon Territory. Accepting the offer would have meant the end of his career at booming Illinois, so he declined the assignment. Lincoln withdrew from political activity and in subsequent years practiced law, became one of the leading lawyers in the state, and was legal counsel for the Illinois Central railroad. During his 23-year legal career, Lincoln was involved in 5,100 cases (excluding unreported cases), and he and his partners appeared before the State Supreme Court more than 400 times.

In 1856, like many former Whigs, he joined the anti-slavery Republican Party created in 1854, and in 1858 he was nominated as a candidate for a seat in the US Senate. His opponent in the election was Democrat Stephen Douglas. The debate between Lincoln and Douglas, during which the issue of slavery was discussed, became widely known (some called this debate a dispute between the “little giant” (S. Douglas) and the “big sucker” (A. Lincoln)). Lincoln was not an abolitionist, but opposed slavery on moral grounds. He saw slavery as a necessary evil in the agrarian economy of the South. Trying to challenge the arguments of Douglas, who accused his opponent of radicalism, Lincoln assured that he was not in favor of granting political and civil rights to blacks and interracial marriages, since in his opinion the physical difference between the white and black races and the superiority of the former would never allow “them to coexist.” in conditions of social and political equality.” The issue of slavery, in his opinion, was within the competence of individual states and the federal government had no constitutional right to interfere in this problem. At the same time, Lincoln firmly opposed the spread of slavery to new territories, which undermined the foundations of slavery, because its extensive nature required expansion into the undeveloped lands of the West. Stephen Douglas won the election, but Lincoln’s anti-slavery speech “A House Divided,” in which he substantiated the impossibility of the country’s continued existence in a state of “half-slavery and half-freedom,” spread widely in the United States, creating its author’s reputation as an anti-slavery fighter.

In October 1859, John Brown's rebellion broke out in the South, seizing the government arsenal and planning to start a slave rebellion in the South. The detachment was blocked by troops and destroyed. Lincoln condemned Brown's actions as an attempt to forcefully resolve the issue of slavery.

Presidential elections and inauguration

Elections

Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, 1860.

Moderate positions on the issue of slavery determined the election of Lincoln as a compromise presidential candidate from the Republican Party in the elections of 1860. The southern states threatened to secede from the Union if the Republicans won. Both parties, Democratic and Republican, fought over the values that the candidates represented. Americans associated Lincoln's personality with hard work, honesty, and social mobility. Coming from the people, he was a “self-made” man. On November 6, 1860, participation in elections exceeded 80% of the population for the first time. Lincoln, largely thanks to the split in the Democratic Party, which nominated two candidates, managed to get ahead of his rivals in the elections and become President of the United States and the first from his new party. Lincoln won the election mainly due to the support of the North. In nine southern states, Lincoln's name did not appear on the ballot at all, and he managed to win only 2 out of 996 counties.

Division of the Union and Lincoln's Inauguration

Lincoln opposed the spread of slavery, and his election victory further divided the American people. Even before his inauguration, 7 southern states, at the initiative of South Carolina, announced their secession from the United States. The Upper South (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas) initially rejected the secessionist appeal, but soon joined the rebellion. Incumbent President James Buchanan and President-elect Lincoln refused to recognize secession. In February 1861, the Constitutional Convention in Montgomery (Alabama) proclaimed the creation of the Confederate States of America, and Jefferson Davis was elected president, who took the oath of office that same month. Richmond became the capital of the state.

Lincoln evaded would-be assassins in Baltimore and arrived in Washington on February 23, 1861, on a special train. During his inauguration on March 4, the capital was filled with troops to ensure order. In his speech, Lincoln said:

I believe that, from the point of view of universal law and the Constitution, the union of these states is eternal. Eternity, even if not expressly expressed, is implied in the Basic Law of all government forms of government. It is safe to say that no system of government as such has ever had in its Basic Law a provision for the termination of its own existence...

And again, if the United States is not a system of government in the proper sense of the word, but an association of States founded merely by compact, can it, as a compact, be peaceably dissolved by fewer parties than were at its creation? One party - a party to the treaty can violate it, that is, break it, but isn't everyone's consent required to legally cancel it? Based on these general principles, we come to the conclusion that, from a legal point of view, the Union is eternal, and this is confirmed by the history of itself Union...It follows that none of the states has the right to secede from the Union purely on their own initiative, that decisions and resolutions adopted for this purpose have no legal force, and acts of violence committed within any state (or states) directed against the Government of the United States, acquire an insurrectionary or revolutionary character, depending on the circumstances.

In his speech, Lincoln also stated that he had “no intention of interfering, directly or indirectly, with the institution of slavery in those States where it exists”: “I believe that I have no legal right to do so, and I am not inclined to do so.” . Lincoln called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and restoration of the unity of the United States. However, the exit had already been completed and the Confederation was intensively preparing for military action. The overwhelming majority of representatives of the southern states in the US Congress left it and went over to the side of the South.

After taking office, Lincoln used a protectionist system of distributing posts. Already in the spring of 1861, 80% of the posts controlled by Democrats were occupied by Republicans. When forming the government, Lincoln included his opponents in it: the post of US Secretary of State was William Seward, Secretary of Justice - Edward Bates, Secretary of the Treasury - Salmon Chase.

American Civil War

Beginning of the war (1861-1862)

The fighting began on April 12, 1861, with a Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay, which was forced to surrender after 34 hours of shelling. In response, Lincoln declared the Southern states in a state of rebellion, ordered a naval blockade of the Confederacy, drafted 75,000 volunteers into the army, and later introduced conscription. Even before Lincoln’s inauguration, a lot of weapons and ammunition were brought to the south, and seizures of federal arsenals and warehouses were organized. The most combat-ready units were located here, which were replenished with hundreds of officers who left the federal army. The beginning of the Civil War was unsuccessful for the North. Southerners, prepared for combat, were in a hurry to defeat the Union forces before the North mobilized its superior military and economic potential. Heavily criticized for military defeats and economic difficulties, Lincoln, despite his lack of military experience, took decisive steps to form a combat-ready army, not even stopping at restrictions on civil liberties or spending funds not yet approved in the Congressional budget. In the first major battle in Virginia, at the Manassas railroad station on July 21, 1861, the Federal army was defeated. On November 1, Lincoln appointed J.B. McLellan, who avoided active action, as commander in chief. On October 21, its units were defeated near Washington. On November 8, 1861, the British steamer Trent was captured, carrying southern ambassadors. This sparked the Affair of Trent and nearly led to war against Great Britain.

In February-March 1862, General Ulysses Grant managed to oust the southerners from Tennessee and Kentucky. By the summer, Missouri was liberated, and Grant's troops entered the northern regions of Mississippi and Alabama. As a result of the landing operation, New Orleans was captured on April 25, 1862. McClellan was removed by Lincoln from his post as commander-in-chief and placed at the head of one of the armies whose task was to capture Richmond. McLellan chose defensive action instead of offensive action. On August 29-30, the Northerners were defeated at the Second Battle of Bull Run, after which Lincoln called up 500,000 men. On September 7, at Antietam Creek, the South's 40,000-man army was attacked by McClellan's 70,000-man army, which defeated the Confederates. The flooding of the Potomac River cut off Lee's route of retreat, but McClellan, despite Lincoln's orders, abandoned the offensive and missed the opportunity to complete the defeat of the southerners.

After the Battle of Antietam, Great Britain and France refused to enter the war and recognize the Confederacy. During the war, Russia maintained friendly relations with the United States. The Russian squadron visited San Francisco and New York in 1863-1864.

The year 1862 was also marked by the first battle of armored ships in history, which took place on March 9 off the coast of Virginia. The 1862 campaign ended with the defeat of the northerners at Friedericksberg on December 13.

Political process

The difficult situation of the federal army caused discontent among the population. Lincoln was under pressure from the Republican Party, which included both supporters of the immediate abolition of slavery and those advocating the gradual emancipation of slaves. Lincoln adhered to a policy of compromise, thanks to which he was able to prevent a split in the party. He was convinced that even in wartime a political process must be carried out in the country. This made it possible to maintain freedom of speech throughout the Civil War, avoiding serious restrictions on civil liberties and a crisis in the two-party system. During Lincoln's presidency, elections were held and citizens participated in government. After the Southern attack on Fort Sumter, some members of the Democratic Party formed a “loyal opposition” that supported government policies. On August 22, 1862, in an interview with the New York Tribune, when asked why he was slow to free the slaves, Lincoln replied:

My highest object in this struggle is the preservation of the union, not the preservation or abolition of slavery. If I could save the union without freeing a single slave, I would do so, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do so, and if I could save it by freeing some slaves and not others. freed, I would do it. What I do in the matter of slavery and for the colored race, I do because I believe it will help preserve the union... By this I have explained here my intention, which I consider as an official duty. And I do not intend to change my often expressed personal desire that all people everywhere should be free.

Homestead

At the initiative of Abraham Lincoln, the Homestead Act was passed on May 20, 1862, according to which every citizen of the United States who had reached the age of 21 and had not fought for the Confederacy could receive from public trust land a plot of land not exceeding 160 acres (65 hectares) upon payment of a registration fee. fee of 10 dollars. The law came into force on January 1, 1863. A settler who began to cultivate the land and began to erect buildings on it received free ownership of this land after 5 years. The plot could be purchased ahead of schedule by paying $1.25 per acre. Under the Homestead Act, about 2 million homesteads were distributed in the United States, totaling about 285 million acres (115 million hectares). This law radically solved the agrarian problem, directed the development of agriculture along the farmer path, led to the settlement of previously deserted areas and provided Lincoln with the support of the broad masses of the population.

Freeing the Slaves

Failures in the war and its prolongation gradually changed Lincoln's attitude to the issue of slavery. He came to the idea that the United States would either become completely free or completely slave-owning. It became clear that the main goal of the war - the restoration of the Union - was becoming unattainable without the abolition of slavery. Lincoln, who had always advocated the gradual emancipation of blacks on a compensatory basis, now believed that slavery must be abolished. Preparations for the abolition of the institute were carried out throughout 1862. On December 30, 1862, the President signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring blacks living in territories in rebellion against the United States “now and forever” free. The document gave impetus to the adoption of the XIII Amendment (1865) to the American Constitution, which completely abolished slavery in the United States. The Proclamation was rightfully criticized by Radical Republicans because it emancipated slaves in areas where the federal government did not extend authority, but it changed the nature of the Civil War, turning it into a war to abolish slavery. In addition, it forced foreign countries, including Great Britain, not to support the Confederacy. British Prime Minister Palmerston was unable to organize an intervention due to public resistance. The emancipation of the slaves made it possible to recruit black Americans into the army. By the end of the war, there were 180 thousand African Americans in the federal troops.

A turning point in the Civil War. Battle of Gettysburg

On March 3, 1863, conscription was introduced for the first time in the history of the United States. At the same time, the rich were allowed to hire other people in their place and buy off their service, which provoked unrest, during which many blacks died and became victims of lynchings.

In May 1863, a Union army of 130,000 was defeated by General Lee's 60,000-man army. The northerners retreated, and the Confederates, bypassing Washington from the north, entered Pennsylvania. In this situation, the outcome of the three-day battle at Gettysburg, during which more than 50 thousand people died, became of great importance. Lee's army was defeated and retreated to Virginia. On July 4, on the Western Front, after a multi-day siege and two unsuccessful assaults, General Grant captured the Vicksburg fortress. On July 8, Port Hudson in Louisiana was captured. Thus, control over the Mississippi River valley was established, and the Confederacy was divided into two parts. On November 19, 1863, a ceremony was held to open the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where the fallen participants in the battle were buried. During the opening of the memorial, Lincoln delivered one of his most famous speeches, once again confirming his extraordinary oratorical talents. At the end of the short speech it was said:

“We must solemnly decree that these deaths will not be in vain, and our nation, under the protection of God, will have a new source of freedom, and this government of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not die on earth.”

In December 1863, Lincoln promised amnesty to all rebels (except Confederate leaders) conditional on taking an oath of allegiance to the United States and accepting the abolition of slavery. The year ended with the Northern victory at Chattanooga.

Re-election, end of the war

The idea of ending the war became increasingly popular among the people. Lincoln's task was to instill in Americans confidence in victory. The President abolished the transfer of those arrested to court, which allowed the imprisonment of deserters and the most ardent supporters of slavery and peace. In the 1863 elections to Congress, the Democrats managed to narrow the gap in the number of mandates, but the Republicans still managed to maintain a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In March 1864, Lincoln appointed Ulysses Grant as commander-in-chief, who, together with W. Sherman and F. Sheridan, implemented the plan developed by Lincoln - to weaken the southerners and defeat them by launching coordinated attacks. The main blow was dealt by Sherman's army, which launched an invasion of Georgia in May. Grant's army acted against General Lee.