Abraham Lincoln
How did Abraham’s Lincoln childhood and early life affect his presidency?
Abraham Lincoln was born in February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. His parents were Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. In 1817, the Lincoln family was forced to move to Indiana. One of the main reasons was that the family was oposed to slavery but, they had also land disputes that caused the family trouble. Slavery had a huge role in Abrahams Lincoln presidency and his opinion of abolishing slavery was influenced by values and beliefs his family had taught him.
At the age of nine, Abraham Lincoln faced his mother’s death. They Lincoln family was very closed and this event deeply hurt him. This resulted on him having a closer relationship with his dad, who raised him in a very disciplinary way. Thomas married Sarah Bush Thomas after a few months of Nancy’s death. Abraham and her admired each other and became friends really fast. It was because of her that Abraham started to show interest in learning how to write and read. His early life education consisted of 18 months of classes. The interest was such that he would walk for miles to borrow a book. All of his efforts resulted on a literate Abraham, who was the first one of his family to achieve this.
For many years, Abraham helped his father working the new land and building a new log cabin. That life was not what he wanted. He went on several trips and learned more things from different places but, in one trip to New Orleans he witnessed a slavery auction. It is said that that experience touched Abraham deeply and motivated him to fight for slaves freedom.
Hard work was always present in Abraham’s life; having to move and start a new life at the age of 9, face critics for their political believes towards slavery, going through his mother’s death and becoming literate in a short period of time. All of his early life experiences made him the strong, hard worker and determinate man who wouldn’t stop until he met his objectives.
At the age of nine, Abraham Lincoln faced his mother’s death. They Lincoln family was very closed and this event deeply hurt him. This resulted on him having a closer relationship with his dad, who raised him in a very disciplinary way. Thomas married Sarah Bush Thomas after a few months of Nancy’s death. Abraham and her admired each other and became friends really fast. It was because of her that Abraham started to show interest in learning how to write and read. His early life education consisted of 18 months of classes. The interest was such that he would walk for miles to borrow a book. All of his efforts resulted on a literate Abraham, who was the first one of his family to achieve this.
For many years, Abraham helped his father working the new land and building a new log cabin. That life was not what he wanted. He went on several trips and learned more things from different places but, in one trip to New Orleans he witnessed a slavery auction. It is said that that experience touched Abraham deeply and motivated him to fight for slaves freedom.
Hard work was always present in Abraham’s life; having to move and start a new life at the age of 9, face critics for their political believes towards slavery, going through his mother’s death and becoming literate in a short period of time. All of his early life experiences made him the strong, hard worker and determinate man who wouldn’t stop until he met his objectives.
How did his presidency affect the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln started his political carrier in 1846, entering the House of Representatives. He became known for his opposition to the US-Mexican War because he saw it as a way to extend slavery. After some time, Lincoln was disappointed with politics and wanted to know more about law. He ran for the Senate in 1856 but didn’t succeed. Although he didn’t win, the people started to recognize him as a great speaker with leadership. He became the US president when winning the elections of 1860, defeating Douglas, John Bell, and John C. Breckinridge.
His victory wasn’t expected because the Southern states disliked his views of slavery but he ended up becoming the 16th President of the United States. After his election, people form Charleston, South Carolina, were very upset. Soon after they met to consider secession and, on December 20th, 1860, South Carolina secedes. Many other states also made it clear that if Lincoln became president they would secede from the Union and, followed South Carolina. The division of the North and South states led to the first shots of the civil war where the confederates seized Fort Sumter, South Carolina, in 1861.
During the civil war, one of the most important roles of Lincoln was to declare the Emancipation Proclamation in January, 1863. This document declared that all states were free. The effect of the declaration wasn’t immediate due to the seceded states, which considered themselves out of the US so didn’t have to follow Lincoln’s orders. Despite, slaves started to gain more credit among the nation.
In November 19, 1863, the Gettysburg Address was signed in Pennsylvania.
“…That this nation under god shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from earth…”
Finally, after years of war, the civil war ended in 1865, with the nation being back together.
All of Abrahams Lincoln efforts during the civil war were to unify the nation and free all the people that formed part of it. He is considered one of the greatest US presidents because of his determination to achieve what he really believed in, freedom. His greatest achievement was being able to motivate the nation by showing his best ideas of how the nation could be a perfect union.
On April 14th, 1865 John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor and confederate sympathizer, shot Abraham Lincoln. This event resulted on the death of the 16th US president. The murderer and his conspirators thought that by killing the president and two of his possible successors, the US would fall into a big political disaster. The result was the Congress and Courts overtaking the power of the white house for 40 years.
His victory wasn’t expected because the Southern states disliked his views of slavery but he ended up becoming the 16th President of the United States. After his election, people form Charleston, South Carolina, were very upset. Soon after they met to consider secession and, on December 20th, 1860, South Carolina secedes. Many other states also made it clear that if Lincoln became president they would secede from the Union and, followed South Carolina. The division of the North and South states led to the first shots of the civil war where the confederates seized Fort Sumter, South Carolina, in 1861.
During the civil war, one of the most important roles of Lincoln was to declare the Emancipation Proclamation in January, 1863. This document declared that all states were free. The effect of the declaration wasn’t immediate due to the seceded states, which considered themselves out of the US so didn’t have to follow Lincoln’s orders. Despite, slaves started to gain more credit among the nation.
In November 19, 1863, the Gettysburg Address was signed in Pennsylvania.
“…That this nation under god shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from earth…”
Finally, after years of war, the civil war ended in 1865, with the nation being back together.
All of Abrahams Lincoln efforts during the civil war were to unify the nation and free all the people that formed part of it. He is considered one of the greatest US presidents because of his determination to achieve what he really believed in, freedom. His greatest achievement was being able to motivate the nation by showing his best ideas of how the nation could be a perfect union.
On April 14th, 1865 John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor and confederate sympathizer, shot Abraham Lincoln. This event resulted on the death of the 16th US president. The murderer and his conspirators thought that by killing the president and two of his possible successors, the US would fall into a big political disaster. The result was the Congress and Courts overtaking the power of the white house for 40 years.
Work Cited
"American President: Abraham Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln. Rector and the Visitors
of the University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.
<http://millercenter.org/president/lincoln/essays/biography/9>. "Abraham Lincoln.biography." Bio. True Story. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web.
13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.biography.com/people/
abraham-lincoln-9382540>.
"Abraham Lincoln." American Civil War. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.
"American President: Abraham Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln. Rector and the Visitors
of the University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.
<http://millercenter.org/president/lincoln/essays/biography/9>. "Abraham Lincoln.biography." Bio. True Story. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web.
13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.biography.com/people/
abraham-lincoln-9382540>.
"Abraham Lincoln." American Civil War. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.