Abraham Lincoln

**Abraham Lincoln** (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) na he be de 16th presido of de United States, wey he serve from 1861 til ein assassination insyd 1865. Na he lead de United States thru de American Civil War, wey na he defeat de Confederate States of America wey na he play a major role insyd de abolition of slavery.

Na dem born Lincoln into poverty insyd Kentucky wey dem raise am on de frontier. Na he be self-educated wey na he cam turn a lawyer, Illinois state legislator, den U.S. representative. Angered by de Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854, wich na e open de territories to slavery, he cam turn a leader of de new Republican Party. Na he reach a national audience insyd de 1858 Senate campaign debates against Stephen A. Douglas. Na Lincoln win de 1860 presidential election, buh na de South view ein election as a threat to slavery, wey na de Southern states begin dey secede make dem form de Confederate States of America. A month after na Lincoln assume de presidency, Confederate forces attack Fort Sumter, wey start de Civil War.

Na Lincoln, a moderate Republican, for navigate a contentious array of factions insyd make he dey manage de war effort. Na he suspend de writ of *habeas corpus* insyd April 1861, an action wey na Chief Justice Roger Taney find unconstitutional insyd *Ex parte Merryman*, wey na he avert war plus Britain by defusing de *Trent* Affair. On January 1, 1863, na he issued de Emancipation Proclamation, wich declare de slaves insyd de states "insyd rebellion" make dem be free. On November 19, 1863, na he deliver de Gettysburg Address, wich cam be one of de most famous speeches insyd American history. Na Lincoln closely supervise de strategy den tactics insyd de war effort, wey dey include de selection of generals, wey he implement a naval blockade of Southern ports. Na he promote de Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, wich, insyd 1865, na dem abolish slavery, except as punishment for a crime. Na dem re-elect am insyd 1864, na he sought make he heal de war-torn nation thru Reconstruction.

On April 14, 1865, five days after de Confederate surrender at Appomattox, na he dey attend a play at Ford's Theatre insyd Washington, D.C., wen na dem shoot am fatally by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. Dem dey kai Lincoln as a martyr den a national hero for ein wartime leadership den for ein efforts make he preserve de Union den abolish slavery. Dem often dey rank am insyd both popular den scholarly polls as de greatest presido insyd American history.

## Family den kiddie time

### Early life
Na dem born Abraham Lincoln on February 12, 1809, insyd a log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. De second kiddie of Thomas Lincoln den Nancy Hanks Lincoln, na he be a descendant of Samuel Lincoln, an Englishman wey migrate from England to Massachusetts insyd 1638, den of de Harrison family of Virginia.Na ein paternal grandpoppie den namesake, Captain Abraham Lincoln, move de family from Virginia to Kentucky. Na dem kill de captain insyd a Native American raid insyd 1786. Na Thomas, Abraham ein poppie, then work at odd jobs insyd Kentucky den Tennessee before de family settle insyd Hardin County, Kentucky, insyd de early 1800s. Na Lincoln mommie Nancy be widely assumed she be de daughter of Lucy Hanks. Na Thomas den Nancy marry on June 12, 1806, wey dem move to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Na dem get three kiddies: Sarah, Abraham, den Thomas, wey die as an infant.

### Education den move to Illinois
Na Lincoln be largely self-educated. Na ein formal schooling be from itinerant teachers. Na e include two short stints insyd Kentucky, wer na he learn to read, buh probably no be to write. After he move to Indiana at age seven, he attend school only sporadically, for a total of less dan 12 months by age 15. Nonetheless, na he be an avid reader wey na he retain a lifelong interest insyd learning.

Wen na Lincoln be a teenager na ein poppie rely heavily on am for farmwork den for supplementary income, he hire de boy out to area farmers wey he pocket de money, as na e be allowed by law at de time. Na Lincoln den sam paddies take goods by flatboat to New Orleans, Louisiana, wer na he first witness slave markets.

### Marriage den kiddies

Sam historians, such as Michael Burlingame, identify Lincoln ein first romantic interest as Ann Rutledge, a young woman wey sanso be from Kentucky wey na he meet wen he move to New Salem, Illinois. Lewis Gannett, however, dey dispute dat de evidence dey support a romantic relationship between de two. David Herbert Donald dey state dat "How dat friendship [between Lincoln den Rutledge] develope into a romance dem no fi reconstruct from de record". Na Rutledge die on August 25, 1835, of typhoid fever. Na Lincoln take ein death very hard, wey he sink into a serious depression wey na he contemplate suicide.

Insyd de early 1830s, na he meet Mary Owens wey komot Kentucky. Late insyd 1836, na Lincoln agree to a match plus Owens if she return to New Salem. Na Owens arrive dat November wey na he court am, buh na dem both get second thoughts. On August 16, 1837, na he wrep Owens a letter saying he no go blame am if na she end de relationship, wey she decline make she marry am. Insyd 1839, na Lincoln meet Mary Todd insyd Springfield, Illinois, wey na dem engaged de year wey dey follow year. Na she be de daughter of Robert Smith Todd, a wealthy lawyer den businessman insyd Lexington, Kentucky. Na Lincoln initially break off de engagement insyd early 1841, buh na de two reconciled den marry on November 4, 1842. Insyd 1844, na de couple buy a house insyd Springfield near ein law office.

### Early vocations den militia service

## Early political offices den prairie lawyer

### Illinois state legislature (1834–1842)

Insyd Lincoln ein second state house campaign insyd 1834, dis time as a Whig den supporter of Whig leader Henry Clay, na he fini second among thirteen candidates wey dey run for four places. Na Lincoln echo Clay ein support for de American Colonization Society, wich na advocate abolition in conjunction plus settling freed slaves insyd Liberia. Na de Whigs sanso favor economic modernization insyd banking, tariffs to fund internal improvements such as railroads, den urbanization. 

Na Lincoln serve four terms insyd de Illinois House of Representatives give Sangamon County. Insyd dis role, na he champion construction of de Illinois den Michigan Canal. Na Lincoln sanso vote make dem expand suffrage beyond White landowners to all White men. Na dem admit Lincoln to de Illinois bar on September 9, 1836. Na he move to Springfield wey he begin dey practice law under John T. Stuart, Mary Todd ein cousin. Na he partner for chaw years plus Stephen T. Logan den, insyd 1844, he begin ein practice plus William Herndon.

### U.S. House of Representatives (1847–1849)

Insyd 1843, na Lincoln sought de Whig nomination for Illinois ein 7th district seat insyd de U.S. House of Representatives; na John J. Hardin be de successful candidate, though na Lincoln prevail plus de party insyd limiting Hardin to one term. Na Lincoln no gain de nomination insyd 1846 per, buh sanso win de election. De Whig per insyd de Illinois delegation, na dem assign am to de Committee on Post Office and Post Roads den de Committee on Expenditures insyd de War Department. Na Lincoln team plus Joshua R. Giddings on a bill make dem abolish slavery insyd de District of Columbia, buh na he drop de bill wen na e fail make e attract support from chaw oda Whigs.

### Prairie lawyer

Insyd ein Springfield practice, according to Donald, na Lincoln handle "virtually every kind of business wey fi cam before a prairie lawyer". Na he deal plus chaw transportation cases insyd de midst of de nation ein western expansion, particularly river barge conflicts under de new railroad bridges. Insyd 1849 na he receive a patent for a flotation device for de movement of riverboats insyd shallow water wey na Lincoln initially favor riverboat legal interests, buh na he represent whoever hire am. Na he represent a bridge company against a riverboat company insyd *Hurd v. Rock Island Bridge Company*, a landmark case wey dey involve a canal boat wey sink after e hit a bridge. Na dem never commercialize ein patent, buh na e make Lincoln de presido per wey hold a patent. Na Lincoln appear before de Illinois Supreme Court insyd 411 cases. From 1853 to 1860, na one of ein largest clients be de Illinois Central Railroad, wey na Lincoln successfully sue make he recover ein legal fees.

## Republican politics (1854–1860)

### Emergence as Republican leader

Na de Compromise of 1850 fail to alleviate tensions over slavery between de slave-holding South den de free North. As de slavery debate insyd de Nebraska den Kansas territories cam be particularly acrimonious, na Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas propose popular sovereignty as a compromise; de measure go allow se electorate of each territory make dem decide de status of slavery. Na de legislation alarm chaw Northerners, wey sought make dem prevent de spread of slavery, buh na Douglas ein Kansas–Nebraska Act narrowly pass Congress insyd May 1854. Lincoln ein Peoria Speech of October 1854, insyd wich na he declare ein opposition to slavery, be one of over 170 speeches he deliver insyd de next six years on de topic of excluding slavery from de territories. Na Lincoln ein attacks on de Kansas–Nebraska Act mark ein return to political life.

#### 1856 campaign
Na violent political confrontations insyd Kansas continue, den opposition to de Kansas–Nebraska Act remain strong thru out de North. As na de 1856 elections approach, Lincoln join de Republicans wey he attend de Bloomington Convention, wer na dem establish de Illinois Republican Party. Na de convention platform endorse Congress ein right to regulate slavery insyd de territories wey dem back de admission of Kansas as a free state. Na Lincoln give de final speech of de convention, wey dey call for de preservation of de Union. At de June 1856 Republican National Convention, na Lincoln receive support make he run as vice pee, buh ultimately na de party put forward a ticket of John C. Frémont den William Dayton, wich na Lincoln support thru out Illinois. Na de Democrats nominate James Buchanan den de Know Nothings nominate Millard Fillmore. Na Buchanan prevail, while na Republican William Henry Bissell win election as Governor of Illinois, wey na Lincoln cam be a leading Republican insyd Illinois.

#### ''Dred Scott v. Sandford''
Na Dred Scott be a slave wey ein master take am from a slave state to a territory wey na be free as a result of de Missouri Compromise. After na Scott return to de slave state, na he petition a federal court for ein freedom. Na dem deny ein petition insyd *Dred Scott v. Sandford* (1857). 

### Lincoln–Douglas debates den Cooper Union speech
### 1860 presidential election

On May 9–10, 1860, na dem hold de Illinois Republican State Convention insyd Decatur. Dey exploit ein embellished frontier legend of clearing land den splitting fence rails, na Lincoln ein supporters adopt de label of "The Rail Candidate". On May 18 at de Republican National Convention insyd Chicago, Lincoln win de nomination on de third ballot. Na dem nominate a former Democrat, Hannibal Hamlin of Maine, for vice president make he balance de ticket.

On November 6, 1860, na dem elect Lincoln as de first Republican president. Na ein victory entirely be secof ein support insyd de North den West. Na dem no cast ballots give am insyd 10 of de 15 Southern slave states. Na Lincoln receive 1,866,452 votes, anaa 39.8 percent of de total insyd a four-way race, wey he carry de free Northern states, as well as California den Oregon, wey he win de electoral vote decisively.

## Assassination
Na John Wilkes Booth be a well-known actor den a Confederate spy wey komot Maryland; though he never join de Confederate army, na he get contacts within de Confederate secret service. After attending Lincoln ein last public address, on April 11, 1865, insyd wich na Lincoln state ein preference dat de franchise be conferred on sam Black men, specifically "on de very intelligent, den on those wey serve wona cause as soldiers", na Booth plot make he assassinate de Presido. Wen na Booth learn of de Lincolns dema intent make dem attend a play plus Grant, he plan make he assassinate Lincoln den Grant at Ford's Theatre. Na Lincoln den ein wifey attend de play *Our American Cousin* on de evening of April 14. At de last minute, na Grant decide make he go to New Jersey to visit ein kiddies instead of attending.

At 10:15 pm, na Booth enter Lincoln ein theater box, creep up from behind, wey na he fire at de back of Lincoln ein head, mortally wounding am. Na Lincoln ein guest, Major Henry Rathbone, momentarily grapple plus Booth, buh Booth stab am den escape. After he be attended by Doctor Charles Leale den two oda doctors, na dem take Lincoln across de street to Petersen House. Na he remain insyd a coma for nine hours wey he die at 7:22 am on April 15. Na dem wrap Lincoln ein body insyd a flag wey na dem place am insyd a coffin, wich na dem load into a hearse wey na dem escort to de White House by Union soldiers. Na dem swear in Johnson as presido later dat same day. Two weeks later, na dem locate Booth, dem shoot, den kill am at a farm insyd Virginia by Sergeant Boston Corbett.

### Memorials den commemorations

File:Head of Abraham Lincoln at Mount Rushmore.jpg|alt=Refer to caption|Dem carve Lincoln ein image into de stone of Mount Rushmore
File:Lincoln 1866 Issue-15c.jpg|alt=Refer to caption|Na dem issue de Lincoln memorial postage stamp of 1866 by de U.S. Post Office exactly one year after Lincoln ein assassination.
File:Aerial view of Lincoln Memorial - west side.jpg|alt=An aerial photo a large white building with big pillars.|Lincoln Memorial insyd Washington, D.C.
File:United States penny, obverse, 2002.png|alt=Refer to caption|De Lincoln cent, an American coin wey dey portray Lincoln

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## External links

* United States Congress. "Abraham Lincoln (id: L000313)". *Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*.
* Works by or about Abraham Lincoln at the Internet Archive
*  at Project Gutenberg
* Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
* Abraham Lincoln Association
* Abraham Lincoln: A Resource Guide from the Library of Congress
* Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library from Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library -- A digitization of all documents written by or to Abraham Lincoln during his lifetime
* Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln – complete collected works as edited by Basler et al. (1958) – an online edition available through University of Michigan Library Digital Collections
* Lincoln/Net: Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project – Northern Illinois University Digital Library
* The Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division in the Library of Congress
* "Writings of Abraham Lincoln" from C-SPAN's *American Writers: A Journey Through History*, June 18, 2001