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Abraham Lincoln
16th President of the United States
In office March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865
Vice President(s)	Hannibal Hamlin (1861 - 1865) Andrew Johnson (1865)
Preceded by	James Buchanan
Succeeded by	Andrew Johnson
Born	February 12, 1809 Hardin County, Kentucky
Died	April 15, 1865 (aged 56) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Whig, Republican
Spouse	Mary Todd Lincoln
Religion	raised by Hard-shell Baptists; rented a pew in the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church; never officially acquired membership in a church
Signature

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) President of the United States (March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865). As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery and a political leader in the western states, he won the Republican Party nomination in 1860 and was elected president later that year. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Abraham Lincoln may refer to: A person: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States A place: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, Hodgenville, Kentucky Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Elwood, Illinois Fort Abraham Lincoln, south of Mandan, North Dakota Any of a number of high schools: Abraham Lincoln High... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2850x3742, 1215 KB) Description Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States of America. ... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford B. Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Hannibal Hamlin (August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. ... Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865–1869), succeeding to the presidency upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. ... James Buchanan (April 23, 1791 – June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States (1857–1861). ... Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865–1869), succeeding to the presidency upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (=Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... The United States Whig Party was a political party of the United States. ... The Republican Party of the United States was established in 1854 and is one of the two dominant parties today. ... Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818 – July 16, 1882) was the First Lady of the United States when her husband, Abraham Lincoln, served as the sixteenth President, from 1861 until 1865. ... Hard-shell is the adjective used to describe Baptists who reject the common Christian notion of missionary work. ... The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). ... Image File history File links Abraham_Lincoln_signature. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford B. Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Slave sale in Easton, Maryland The history of slavery in the United States began soon after Europeans first settled in what became the United States. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. ...

Lincoln helped preserve the United States by leading the defeat of the secessionist Confederacy in the American Civil War. He introduced measures that resulted in the abolition of slavery, issuing his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. For other uses, see Secession (disambiguation). ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (traditional) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Government Republic President... This article is becoming very long. ... Leland-Boker Authorized Edition, printed in June 1864 with a presidential signature The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order given on January 1, 1863 by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, which declared the freedom of all slaves in those areas of the rebellious Confederate States... Amendment XIII in the National Archives Amendment XIII (the Thirteenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution officially abolished, and continues to prohibit, slavery, and, with limited exceptions such as those convicted of a crime, prohibits involuntary servitude. ...

Lincoln's leadership qualities were evident in his close supervision of the victorious war effort, especially his successful selection of Ulysses S. Grant and other top generals. Historians conclude he brilliantly handled the factions of the Republican Party by bringing the leaders into his cabinet and forcing them to cooperate. In crisis management, he defused a war scare with the United Kingdom (1861), he outmaneuvered the Confederacy and took control of the border slave states in 1861-62, and he managed his own landslide reelection in the 1864 presidential election. Ulysses S. Grant[2] (born Hiram Ulysses Grant, April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American general and the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ...

Antiwar Copperheads criticized him for refusing to compromise on slavery. On the other hand, Radical Republicans, a strongly Abolitionist faction of the Republican Party, criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery. Lincoln rallied public opinion through the powerful rhetoric of his messages and speeches; his Gettysburg Address is remembered as the prime example. At the close of the war, Lincoln took a moderate view of Reconstruction, seeking to speedily re-unite the nation through a policy of generous reconciliation. The Copperheads were a faction of Democrats in the North (see also Union (American Civil War)) who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates. ... Radical Republicans were certain Republicans in Congress and other federal and state leaders during the American Civil War and Reconstruction eras in U.S. history. ... The Gettysburg Address is the most famous speech of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and one of the most quoted speeches in United States history. ... Reconstruction was the attempt from 1865 to 1877 in U.S. history to resolve the issues of the American Civil War, when both the Confederacy and slavery were destroyed. ...

Lincoln's assassination in 1865 made him a martyr for the ideal of national unity. killing and death of Abraham Lincoln From left to right: Major Henry Rathbone, Clara Harris, Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, and John Wilkes Booth. ...

Scholars rank Lincoln among the top three U.S. Presidents, with the average of those surveys placing him at number one. He is noted for his lasting influence on U.S. politics, including redefining republican values.^[1] Many surveys have been conducted in order to construct rankings of the success of individuals who have served as President of the United States. ... Republicanism is the political value system that has dominated American political thought since the American Revolution. ...

Lincoln 1809 to 1854

Early life

Main Article: Lincoln's Early Life and Career

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, two uneducated farmers. He was born in a one-room log cabin on the 348 acre (1.4 km²) Sinking Spring Farm. The farm was in Nolin Creek, three miles (5 km) south of Hodgenville, Kentucky. This was the southeast part of Hardin County (now part of LaRue County), and was at that time considered the "frontier." Lincoln was named after his grandfather, who was killed in 1786 in an American Indian raid.^[2] He had no middle name. Lincoln had one elder sister, Sarah Lincoln, who was born in 1807. He also had a younger brother, Thomas Jr, who died in infancy. Main Article: Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a one-room log cabin on the 348 acre (1. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Thomas Herring Lincoln (January 6, 1778 – January 17, 1851) was an American pioneer farmer and father of Abraham Lincoln. ... For the passenger train, see Nancy Hanks (passenger train). ... For the political organization that supports the United States Republican Party, see Log Cabin Republican Replica log cabin at Valley Forge, USA A log cabin is a small house built from logs. ... Hodgenville is a city located in Larue County, Kentucky. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. ... LaRue County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. ... A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary, or of a different nature. ... American Indian can refer to: Native Americans in the United States; Any of the indigenous peoples of the Americas; the First Nations of Canada; American Indians, as defined by the U.S. Census. ... Sarah Lincoln (born February 10, 1807, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky- died January 20, 1828) was the eldest child of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks and the only sister of Abraham Lincoln. ...

Symbolic log cabin at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

Thomas Lincoln was a respected and relatively affluent citizen of the Kentucky back country for a period of time. He had purchased the Sinking Spring Farm in December 1808 for $200 cash and assumption of a debt.^[3] Thomas however, lost all his property in court cases, and when Lincoln was a child the family was living in a dugout on the side of a hill in Indiana, without even a log cabin to shelter them. His parents belonged to a Baptist church that had pulled away from a larger church because they refused to support slavery. From a very young age, Lincoln was exposed to anti-slavery sentiment. However, he never joined his parents' church, or any other, and as a youth he ridiculed religion.^[4] It is often debated whether Abraham Lincoln had Marfan syndrome, an autosomal dominant disorder of the connective tissue characterized by long limbs and great stature, among other things.^[5] Image File history File links Abe-Lincoln-Birthplace-2. ... Image File history File links Abe-Lincoln-Birthplace-2. ... Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site preserves two farm sites where Abraham Lincoln lived as a child. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Baptist is a term describing a tradition within Christianity and may also refer to individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. ... Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder of the connective tissue characterized by unusually long limbs, great stature, or long toes (or fingers) in proportion to the persons height, as well as a predisposition to cardiovascular disease. ... An autosome is a non-sex chromosome. ... In genetics, the term dominant gene refers to the allele that causes a phenotype that is seen in a heterozygous genotype. ... Connective tissue is one of the four types of tissue in traditional classifications (the others being epithelial, muscle, and nervous tissue. ...

In 1816, when Lincoln was seven years old, his impoverished family moved to Perry County (now in Spencer County), Indiana. He later noted that this move was "partly on account of slavery," and partly because of economic difficulties in Kentucky. In 1818, Lincoln's mother died of "milk sickness" at age thirty four, when Abe was nine. Soon afterwards, Lincoln's father remarried to Sarah Bush Johnston. Sarah Lincoln raised young Lincoln like one of her own children. Years later she compared Lincoln to her own son, saying "Both were good boys, but I must say — both now being dead that Abe was the best boy I ever saw or ever expect to see." Lincoln was affectionate toward his step-mother, whom he would for the rest of his life call "Mother," but distant from his father.^[6] Perry County is a county located in the state of Indiana. ... Spencer County is a county located in the state of Indiana. ... Milk sickness also known as tremetol poisoning or in animals as trembles is characterized by trembling, vomiting, and severe intestinal pain that affects individuals who eat dairy products or meat from a cow that has fed on white snakeroot. ... Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln (1788-1869) was the second wife of Thomas Lincoln and stepmother of President of the United States Abraham Lincoln. ...

In 1830, after more economic and land-title difficulties in Indiana, the family settled on public land^[7] in Macon County, Illinois, 10 miles west of Decatur. Some scholars believe that it was his father's repeated land-title difficulties, and the financial hardships resulting from them, that led the young Lincoln to the study of law. The following winter was desolate and especially brutal, and the family nearly moved back to Indiana. When his father relocated the family to a new homestead in Coles County, Illinois the following year, the 22-year-old Lincoln struck out on his own, canoeing down the Sangamon River to Sangamon County, Illinois, in the village of New Salem. Later that year, hired by New Salem businessman Denton Offutt and accompanied by friends, he took goods from New Salem to New Orleans via flatboat on the Sangamon, Illinois and Mississippi rivers. While in New Orleans, he may have witnessed a slave auction. He visited Kentucky often and he had opportunity to see similar sales from time to time.^[8] Macon County is a county located in the state of Illinois. ... The Decatur Transfer House in the background with a newly completed fountain in the foreground. ... The original Lincoln cabin (left) and the reconstruction at the site today. ... Coles County is a county located in the state of Illinois. ... Insert non-formatted text here Sangamon River The Sangamon River is a principal tributary of the Illinois River, approximately 250 mi (402 km) long, in central Illinois in the United States. ... Sangamon County is a county located in the state of Illinois. ... New Salem is the name of a former village in Menard County, Illinois in the United States. ... Denton Offutt was a 19th century American general store operator who hired future President Abraham Lincoln for his first job as an adult in New Salem, Illinois. ... Nickname: Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Government  - Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area  - City  350. ... This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. ...

His formal education consisted of about 18 months of schooling from unofficial teachers. In effect he was self-educated, studying every book he could borrow. He once walked 20 miles just to borrow one book. His favorite book was The Life of George Washington. He mastered the Bible, William Shakespeare's works, English history and American history, and developed a plain writing style that puzzled audiences more used to grandiloquent rhetoric. He was a local wrestler and skilled with an axe; some rails he had allegedly split in his youth were exhibited at the 1860 Republican National Convention, as the party celebrated the poor-boy-made-good theme. He avoided hunting and fishing because he did not like killing animals even for food and, though unusually tall and strong, spent so much time reading that some neighbors suspected he must be doing it to avoid strenuous manual labor. This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... England is the largest and most populous of the four main divisions of the United Kingdom. ... Pre-Colonial America For details, see the main Pre-Colonial America article. ...

Early career

Young Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln began his political career in 1832, at age 23, with a campaign for the Illinois General Assembly as a member of the Whig Party. The centerpiece of his platform was the undertaking of navigational improvements on the Sangamon River in the hopes of attracting steamboat traffic to the river, which would allow sparsely populated, poor areas along and near the river to grow and prosper. He served as a captain in a company of the Illinois militia drawn from New Salem during the Black Hawk War, although he never saw combat. He wrote after being elected by his peers that he had not had "any such success in life which gave him so much satisfaction."^[9] Lincoln did assist in burying the dead from the Battle of Stillman's Run the day after Major Isaiah Stillman's troops fled the field of battle.^[10] Image File history File links Abe_Lincoln_young. ... Image File history File links Abe_Lincoln_young. ... The Illinois General Assembly convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ... The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. ... Lexington Minuteman representing militia minuteman John Parker. ... Combatants United States Sauk Nation Commanders Henry Atkinson Henry Dodge Adam Snyder Isaiah Stillman Samuel Whiteside Black Hawk Strength 2,000 Miltia 1,500 Regulars volunteers? Indian allies ? 1000 The majority were women and children Casualties 33 killed in action 39 non-combatants killed 450-600 The Black Hawk War... // Introduction The Battle of Stillmans run was the first armed confrontation between the forces of the Illinois Militia, and Sauk chief Black Hawks Indian Band. ... Cavalry Major Isaiah Stillman (1793-April 15, 1861) led Illinois militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawks Sauk Indian Band. ...

For a few months he operated a small store in New Salem, selling tea, coffee, sugar, salt, blue calico, brown muslin, straw hats and whiskey.^[11] After coming across the Commentaries on the Laws of England, he taught himself law and was admitted to the bar in 1837. That same year, he moved to Springfield, Illinois, and began to practice law with John T. Stuart. Developing a reputation as a formidable adversary during cross-examination of witnesses and in closing arguments, Lincoln became one of the most respected and successful lawyers in Illinois and grew steadily more prosperous. Lincoln served four successive terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, as a Whig representative from Sangamon County, beginning in 1834. He became a leader of the Whig party in the legislature. In 1837, he made his first protest against slavery in the Illinois House, stating that the institution was "founded on both injustice and bad policy."^[12] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In the United States, admission to the bar is permission granted by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. ... Nickname: i did your mom a fovor tomake you a sandwich Motto: poo poo smells Location of Springfield within Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Sangamon Founded 1819  - Mayor Timothy Davlin Area    - City 156. ... The Illinois House of Representatives convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ...

It was in 1837, that Lincoln met his most intimate friend, Joshua Fry Speed Joshua Fry Speed (November 14, 1814 - May 29, 1882). ...

In 1842, Lincoln wrote a series of anonymous letters which were published in the Sangamon Journal, mocking prominent Democrat and State Auditor James Shields. When Shields found out it was Lincoln, he challenged him to a duel. Since Shields was the challenger, Lincoln chose the weapon and specified "Cavalry broad swords of the largest size." Lincoln, much taller with long arms, had an overwhelming advantage; but the duel was called off at the last minute.^[13] The State Journal-Register is the primary daily newspaper for Springfield, Illinois and its surrounding area. ... James Shields James Shields (May 10, 1810 – June 1, 1879) was an American politician and U.S. Army officer who was born in Altmore, Ireland. ...

Mary Todd Lincoln c. 1846

In 1844, Lincoln entered law practice with William Herndon, a fellow Whig. In 1854, both men joined the fledgling Republican Party. Following Lincoln's death, Herndon began collecting stories about Lincoln and published them in Herndon's Lincoln. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 443 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (491 × 665 pixel, file size: 79 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) http://hdl. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 443 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (491 × 665 pixel, file size: 79 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) http://hdl. ... Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818 – July 16, 1882) was the First Lady of the United States when her husband, Abraham Lincoln, served as the sixteenth President, from 1861 until 1865. ... William Henry Herndon (born in Kentucky, 1818 - 1891 in Springfield, Illinois) was the law partner and biographer of Abraham Lincoln. ... The Republican Party of the United States was established in 1854 and is one of the two dominant parties today. ...

Family

On November 4, 1842 Lincoln married Mary Todd who came from a prominent slave-owning family from Kentucky. The couple had four sons: November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818 – July 16, 1882) was the First Lady of the United States when her husband, Abraham Lincoln, served as the sixteenth President, from 1861 until 1865. ...

• Robert Todd Lincoln (August 1 1843 - July 26 1926): born in Springfield, Illinois, and died in Manchester, Vermont.
• Edward Baker Lincoln (March 10 1846 - February 1 1850): born and died in Springfield.
• William Wallace Lincoln (December 21 1850 - February 20 1862): born in Springfield and died in Washington, D.C..
• Thomas "Tad" Lincoln (April 4 1853 - July 16 1871): born in Springfield and died in Chicago.

Only Robert survived into adulthood. Lincoln greatly admired the science that flourished in the elite schools of New England and sent him to Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College. Robert Todd Lincoln (August 1, 1843 – July 26, 1926) was the first son of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Ann Todd. ... Manchester, Vermont Manchester is a town located in Bennington County, Vermont. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... William Wallace Lincoln William Wallace Lincoln, the third son of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, was born on December 21, 1850. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (=Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Thomas (Tad) Lincoln. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Phillips Exeter Academy (most commonly called Exeter, also Phillips Exeter or PEA) is a co-educational independent boarding school for grades 9-12, located on 619 acres[1] in Exeter, New Hampshire, USA, fifty miles north of Boston. ... Harvard Yard Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, having been founded in 1636. ...

Among his wife's family, four of his brothers-in-law fought for the Confederacy with one wounded and another killed in action. Lieutenant David H. Todd, a half-brother of Mary Todd Lincoln, served as commandant of the Libby Prison camp during the war. Libby Prison, located in Richmond, Virginia, was a former tobacco warehouse located on Tobacco Row, converted into prison used by the Confederacy to house captured Union officers during the American Civil War. ...

Daguerreotype of Lincoln c. 1846

Download high resolution version (741x1024, 98 KB)Abraham Lincoln, probably in 1846 or 1847 From the Library of Congress: http://hdl. ... Download high resolution version (741x1024, 98 KB)Abraham Lincoln, probably in 1846 or 1847 From the Library of Congress: http://hdl. ... An 1837 daguerreotype by Daguerre. ...

Anti-War Activist

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to a term in the U.S. House of Representatives. A staunch Whig, Lincoln often referred to party leader Henry Clay as his political idol. As a freshman House member, Lincoln was not a particularly powerful or influential figure in Congress. He spoke out against the Mexican-American War, which he attributed to President Polk's desire for "military glory — that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood." Besides this rhetoric, he also directly challenged Polk's claims as to the boundary of Texas.^[14] Lincoln was among the 82 Whigs in January 1848 who defeated 81 Democrats in a procedural vote on an amendment to send a routine resolution back to committee with instructions for the committee to add the words "a war unnecessarily and unconstitutionally begun by the President of the United States." The amendment passed, but the bill never reemerged from committee and was never finally voted upon.^[15] Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Henry Clay, Sr. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio López de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia Strength 7,000 - 43,000 18,000 - 40,000 Casualties KIA: 1,733 Total dead: 13,283 Wounded: 4,152 25,000 killed or wounded (Mexican government... James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795–June 15, 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849. ...

Lincoln damaged his reputation by an intemperate speech in the House. He announced, "God of Heaven has forgotten to defend the weak and innocent, and permitted the strong band of murderers and demons from hell to kill men, women, and children, and lay waste and pillage the land of the just." Two weeks later, Polk sent a peace treaty to Congress. No one in Washington paid any attention to Lincoln, but the Democrats orchestrated angry outbursts from all over his district, where the war was popular and many had volunteered. In Morgan County, resolutions were adopted in fervent support of the war and in wrathful denunciation of the "treasonable assaults of guerrillas at home; party demagogues; slanderers of the President; defenders of the butchery at the Alamo; traducers of the heroism at San Jacinto." Combatants Republic of Mexico Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas Commanders Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón William Travis† Jim Bowie† Davy Crockett† Strength 6,000 in attack {1,800 in assault-see below} 183 to 250 Casualties 370 to 600 total 70 to 200... Combatants Mexico Republic of Texas Commanders Antonio López de Santa Anna{POW} Manuel Fernandez Castrillon† Juan Almonte{POW} Sam Houston{wounded} Strength about 1,400 800 Casualties 630 killed, 208 wounded, 730 captured 9 killed, 26 wounded For other battles of the same name, see San Jacinto. ...

Lincoln's law partner William Herndon warned Lincoln that the damage was mounting and irreparable; Lincoln himself was despondent, and he decided not to run for reelection. In the fall 1848 election, he campaigned vigorously for Zachary Taylor, the successful general whose atrocities he had denounced in January. Lincoln's attacks on Polk and Taylor came back to haunt him during the Civil War and indeed was held against him when he applied for a major patronage job from the new Taylor administration. Instead Taylor's people offered Lincoln patronage jobs in the remote Oregon Territory. Acceptance would end his career in the fast-growing state of Illinois, so he declined. Returning instead to Springfield, Lincoln gave up politics for several years and turned his energies to making a living as an attorney, which involved grueling travels on horseback from county courthouse to county courthouse.^[16] Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. ... The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain, as well as to the organized U.S. territory formed from it that existed between 1848 and 1859. ...

Prairie lawyer

By the mid-1850s, Lincoln faced competing transportation interests — both the river barges and the railroads. In 1849, he received a patent related to buoying vessels. Lincoln represented the Alton & Sangamon Railroad in an 1851 dispute with one of its shareholders, James A. Barret. Barret had refused to pay the balance on his pledge to the railroad on the grounds that it had changed its originally planned route. Lincoln argued that as a matter of law a corporation is not bound by its original charter when that charter can be amended in the public interest, that the newer proposed Alton & Sangamon route was superior and less expensive, and that accordingly the corporation had a right to sue Mr. Barret for his delinquent payment. He won this case, and the decision by the Illinois Supreme Court was eventually cited by several other courts throughout the United States.^[17] Supreme Court of Illinois is the apex court of judicature of the state of Illinois, United States of America. ...

An important example of Lincoln's skills as a railroad lawyer was a lawsuit over a tax exemption that the state had granted to the Illinois Central Railroad. McLean County argued that the state had no authority to grant such an exemption, and it sought to impose taxes on the railroad notwithstanding. In January 1856, the Illinois Supreme Court delivered its opinion upholding the tax exemption. The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC), sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. ... McLean County is a county located in the state of Illinois. ...

Lincoln's most notable criminal trial came in 1858 when he defended William "Duff" Armstrong, who was on trial for murder. The case is famous for Lincoln's use of judicial notice, a rare tactic at that time, to show that an eyewitness had lied on the stand. After the witness testified to having seen the crime by the light of the moon, Lincoln produced a Farmer's Almanac to show that the moon on that date was at such a low angle that it could not have provided enough illumination to see anything clearly. Based upon this evidence, Armstrong was acquitted.^[18] William Duff Armstrong was a man on trial for the murder of James Preston Metzker. ... Judicial Notice is a rule of evidence that allows a fact to be introduced into evidence if the truth of that fact is so notorious or well known that it is cannot be refuted. ... Farmers Almanac is a reference book used by farmers to determine astronomical positions. ...

Lincoln was involved in more than 5,100 cases in Illinois alone during a 23-year legal practice. Amounting to about one case per business day, many cases involved little more than filing a writ, while others were more substantial and drawn-out. Lincoln and his partners appeared before the Illinois State Supreme Court more than 400 times.

Republican politics 1854–1860

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which expressly repealed the limits on slavery's spread that had been part of the Missouri Compromise of 1820, drew Lincoln back into politics. Illinois Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, the most powerful man in the Senate, proposed popular sovereignty as the solution to the slavery impasse, and he incorporated it into the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Douglas argued that in a democracy the people of a territory should decide whether to allow slavery and not have a decision imposed on them by Congress.^[19] This 1854 map shows slave states (grey), free states (red), and US territories (green) with Kansas in center (white). ... The United States in 1820. ... Stephen Arnold Douglas, nicknamed the Little Giant (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861), was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. ... Pooybuttpular sovereignty is the doctrine that the state is created by and therefore subject to the will of its people, who are the source of all political power. ...

It was a speech against the act, on October 16, 1854, in Peoria, that caused Lincoln to stand out among the other free soil orators of the day. In the speech, Lincoln commented upon the Kansas-Nebraska Act: October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years). ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... : See how it plays in Peoria United States Illinois Peoria 46. ... In the United States, Free Soil was a position taken by northern citizens and politicians in the 19th century advocating that all new U.S. territory be closed to slavery. ...

[The Act has a] declared indifference, but as I must think, covert real zeal for the spread of slavery, I cannot but hate. I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself. I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world—enables the enemies of free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites—causes the real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and especially because it forces so many really good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the very fundamental principles of civil liberty—criticizing the Declaration of Independence, and insisting that there is no right principle of action but self-interest.^[20]

He helped form the new Republican Party, drawing on remnants of the old Whig, Free Soil, Liberty and Democratic parties. In a stirring campaign, the Republicans carried Illinois in 1854 and elected a senator. Lincoln was the obvious choice, but to keep the new party balanced he allowed the election to go to an ex-Democrat Lyman Trumbull. The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States active in the 1848 and 1852 presidential elections, and in some state elections. ... Lyman Trumbull was the United States Senator from Illinois during the American Civil War Categories: American politician stubs ...

In 1857-58, Douglas broke with President Buchanan, leading to a fight for control of the Democratic Party. Some eastern Republicans even favored the reelection of Douglas in 1858, since he led the opposition to the administration's push for the Lecompton Constitution which would have admitted Kansas as a slave state. Accepting the Republican nomination for the Senate in 1858, Lincoln delivered a famous speech in which he stated, "'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'(Mark 3:25) I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other."^[21] The speech created a lasting image of the danger of disunion because of slavery, and rallied Republicans across the north. James Buchanan (April 23, 1791 – June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States (1857–1861). ... The Lecompton Constitution was one of four proposed Kansas state constitutions. ... A slave state was a U.S. state that had legal slavery of African Americans. ... The Gospel of Mark (anonymous[1] but ascribed to Mark the Evangelist) is a Gospel of the New Testament. ...

The 1858 campaign featured the Lincoln-Douglas debates, a nationally famous contest on slavery. Lincoln warned that the Slave Power was threatening the values of republicanism, while Douglas emphasized democracy, as in his Freeport Doctrine, which said that local settlers should be free to choose slavery or not. Though the Republican legislative candidates won more popular votes, the Democrats won more seats, and the legislature reelected Douglas to the Senate. Nevertheless, Lincoln's eloquence transformed him into a national political star. The Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas for an Illinois seat in the United States Senate. ... The Slave Power was the term used in the Northern United States in the period 1840-1865 to describe the political power of the slaveholding class in the South. ... The Freeport Doctrine was articulated by Stephen A. Douglas at the second of the Lincoln-Douglas debates on August 27, 1858, in Freeport, Illinois. ...

During the debates of 1858, the issue of race was often discussed. During a time period when racial egalitarianism was considered politically incorrect, Stephen Douglas informed the crowds, "If you desire Negro citizenship… if you desire them to vote on an equality with yourselves… then support Mr. Lincoln and the Black Republican party, who are in favor of the citizenship of the negro."^[22] On the defensive, Lincoln countered that he was "not in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races."^[23] Lincoln's opposition to slavery was opposition to the Slave Power. But the Civil War changed many things, including Lincoln's beliefs in race relations.^[24] The Slave Power was the term used in the Northern United States in the period 1840-1865 to describe the political power of the slaveholding class in the South. ...

Election of 1860

Main article: United States presidential election, 1860

"The Rail Candidate," Lincoln's 1860 candidacy is held up by slavery issue (slave on left) and party organization (New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley on right)

Entering the presidential nomination process as a distinct underdog, Lincoln was eventually chosen as the Republican candidate for the 1860 election for several reasons. His expressed views on slavery were seen as more moderate than the views of rivals William H. Seward and Salmon P. Chase. His "western" origins also appealed to the newer states. Other contenders, especially those with more governmental experience, had acquired enemies within the party and were weak in the critical western states. Lincoln was seen as a moderate who could win the West. Most Republicans agreed with Lincoln that the North was the aggrieved party as the Slave Power tightened its grasp on the national government. Despite his Southern connections (his in-laws owned slaves), Lincoln misunderstood the depth of the revolution underway in the South and the emergence of Southern nationalism. Throughout the 1850s he denied there would ever be a civil war. His supporters repeatedly denied that his election would be a spark for secession.^[25] Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Image File history File links The_Rail_Candidate. ... Image File history File links The_Rail_Candidate. ... Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American editor of a leading newspaper, a founder of the Republican party, reformer and politician. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... William Henry Seward, Sr. ... Salmon Portland Chase (January 13, 1808 – May 7, 1873) was an American politician and jurist in the Civil War era who served as Senator from Ohio, Governor of Ohio, as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln, and Chief Justice of the United States. ... The Slave Power was the term used in the Northern United States in the period 1840-1865 to describe the political power of the slaveholding class in the South. ...

Lincoln did not campaign or give speeches. The campaign was handled by the state and county Republican organizations. They were thorough and used the newest techniques to sustain the enthusiasm of party members and thus obtain high turnout. There was little effort to convert non-Republicans, and there was virtually no campaigning in the South except for a few border cities such as St. Louis, Missouri, and Wheeling, Virginia; indeed the party did not run a slate of electors in most of the South. In the North, there were thousands of Republican speakers, tons of campaign posters and leaflets, and thousands of newspaper editorials. They focused first on the party platform, and second on Lincoln's life story, making the most of his boyhood poverty, his pioneer background, his native genius, his rise from obscurity to fame. His nicknames, "Honest Abe" and "the Rail-Splitter," were exploited to the full. The point was to emphasize the superior power of "free labor," whereby a common farm boy could work his way to the top by his own efforts.^[26] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: The Friendly City Location in Ohio County in the State of West Virginia Coordinates: Settled 1769 Established 1806 Incorporated 1836  - Mayor Nick Sparachane  - City Manager Robert Herron  - Chief of Police Kevin Gessler, Sr. ...

On November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States, beating Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, John C. Breckinridge of the Southern Democrats, and John Bell of the new Constitutional Union Party. Lincoln was the first Republican president. He won entirely on the strength of his support in the North: he was not even on the ballot in nine states in the South — and won only 2 of 996 counties in the other Southern states. Lincoln gained 1,865,908 votes (39.9% of the total,) for 180 electoral votes; Douglas 1,380,202 (29.5%) for 12 electoral votes; Breckenridge 848,019 (18.1%) for 72 electoral votes; and Bell 590,901 (12.5%) for 39 electoral votes. There were fusion tickets in some states, but even if his opponents had combined in every state, Lincoln had a majority vote in all but two of the states in which he won the electoral votes and would still have won the electoral college and the election. November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... John C. Breckinridge This article is about the politician and Confederate General. ... John Bell (also known as The Great Apostate) (February 15, 1797–September 10, 1869) was a U.S. politician, attorney, and plantation owner. ... The Constitutional Union Party was a political party in the United States created in 1860. ... Electoral fusion is an arrangement where two or more political parties support a common candidate, pooling the votes for all those parties. ...

Civil War

Secession winter 1860–1861

As Lincoln's election became more probable, secessionists made it clear that their states would leave the Union. South Carolina took the lead followed by six other cotton-growing states in the deep South. The upper South (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas) listened to and rejected the secessionist appeal. They decided to stay in the Union, though warning Lincoln they would not support an invasion through their territory. The seven Confederate states seceded before Lincoln took office, declaring themselves an entirely new nation, the Confederate States of America. President Buchanan and President-elect Lincoln refused to recognize the Confederacy. Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq mi (6,452 km²)  - Width 30 miles (48 km)  - Length 100 miles (161 km)  - % water 21. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (traditional) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Government Republic President...

President-elect Lincoln evaded possible assassins in Baltimore and on February 23, 1861, arrived in disguise in Washington, D.C. At Lincoln's inauguration on March 4, 1861, the Turners formed Lincoln's bodyguard; and a sizable garrison of federal troops was also present, ready to protect the capital from Confederate invasion or insurrection from Confederates in the capital city. March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... Turners (German: , gymnasts in English) are German Americans who have organised themselves in gymnastic unions. Together with Carl Schurz they were supportive in getting Abraham Lincoln elected as president of the United States of America (USA). ...

Photograph showing the March 4, 1861, inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in front of U.S. Capitol Building

In his First Inaugural Address, Lincoln declared, "I hold that in contemplation of universal law and of the Constitution the Union of these States is perpetual. Perpetuity is implied, if not expressed, in the fundamental law of all national governments," arguing further that the purpose of the United States Constitution was "to form a more perfect union" than the Articles of Confederation which were explicitly perpetual, and thus the Constitution too was perpetual. He asked rhetorically that even were the Constitution a simple contract, would it not require the agreement of all parties to rescind it? Image File history File links Photograph from Benjamin Brown French showing March 4, 1861 inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in front of U.S. Capitol, which was undergoing construction. ... Image File history File links Photograph from Benjamin Brown French showing March 4, 1861 inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in front of U.S. Capitol, which was undergoing construction. ... March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... United States Capitol The United States Capitol is the building which serves as home for the legislative branch of the United States government. ... Lincolns First Inaugural Address, delivered March 4, 1861, was deeply conciliatory to Southern slave-holding interests. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of the United States of America Page one of the original copy of the Constitution. ... The Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the Articles of Confederation, was the first governing document, or constitution, of the United States of America. ...

Also in his inaugural address, in a final attempt to unite the Union and prevent the looming war, Lincoln supported the pending Corwin Amendment to the Constitution, which had passed Congress. It explicitly protected slavery in those states in which it already existed, and was designed to appeal not to the Confederacy but to the critical border states. Lincoln adamantly opposed the Crittenden Compromise, however, which would have permitted slavery in the territories. Despite support for the Crittenden compromise among some Republicans, Lincoln denounced it saying it "would amount to a perpetual covenant of war against every people, tribe, and state owning a foot of land between here and Tierra del Fuego [at the far end of South America]." The Corwin Amendment is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Crittenden Compromise The Crittenden Compromise (December 18, 1860) was an unsuccessful proposal by Kentucky Senator John J. Crittenden to resolve the U.S. secession crisis of 1860–1861 by addressing the concerns that led the states in the Deep South of the...

By the time Lincoln took office, the Confederacy was an established fact, and no leaders of the insurrection proposed rejoining the Union on any terms. No compromise was found because a compromise was virtually impossible. Lincoln perhaps could have allowed the southern states to secede, and some Republicans recommended that. However, conservative Democratic nationalists, such as Jeremiah S. Black, Joseph Holt, and Edwin M. Stanton had taken control of Buchanan's cabinet around January 1, 1861, and refused to accept secession. Lincoln and nearly all Republican leaders adopted this nationalistic position by March 1861: the Union could not be broken. However, Lincoln being a strict follower of the constitution, would not take any action against the South unless the Unionists themselves were attacked first. It finally happened in April 1861. Jeremiah Sullivan Black (January 10, 1810–August 19, 1883) was an American statesman and lawyer. ... Joseph Holt (January 6, 1807–August 1, 1894) was U.S. Secretary of War and a U.S. Postmaster General under James Buchanan. ... Edwin McMasters Stanton (December 19, 1814 – December 24, 1869), was an American lawyer, politician, United States Attorney General in 1860-61 and Secretary of War through most of the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by...

Fighting begins: 1861–1862

Main article: American Civil War

After Union troops at Fort Sumter were fired upon and forced to surrender in April 1861, Lincoln called on governors of every state to send detachments totaling 75,000 troops to recapture forts, protect the capital, and "preserve the Union," which in his view still existed intact despite the actions of the seceding states. Virginia, which had repeatedly warned Lincoln it would not allow an invasion of its territory or join an attack on another state, then seceded, along with North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas. This article is becoming very long. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Robert Anderson P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 85 soldiers 500 soldiers Casualties 1 dead 5 injured 4 injured The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12 – April 13, 1861), a relatively minor military engagement at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South...

Nevins^[27] argues that Lincoln made three serious mistakes at this point. He at first underestimated the strength of the Confederacy, assuming that 75,000 troops could end the insurrection in 90 days. Second, he overestimated the strength of Unionist sentiment in the South and border states; he assumed he could call the bluff of the insurrectionists and they would fade away. Finally he misunderstood the demands of Unionists in the border states, who warned they would not support an invasion of the Confederacy.

The slave states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware did not secede, and Lincoln urgently negotiated with state leaders there, promising not to interfere with slavery in loyal states. After the fighting started, he had rebel leaders arrested in all the border areas and held in military prisons without trial; over 18,000 were arrested. None were executed; one — Clement Vallandingham — was exiled; all were released, usually after two or three months. See Ex parte Merryman. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Ex parte Merryman, (1861), is a well-known U.S. federal court case which arose out of the American Civil War. ...

Emancipation Proclamation

Main articles: Abraham Lincoln on slavery and Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln met with his Cabinet for the first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation draft on July 22, 1862. L-R: Edwin M. Stanton, Salmon P. Chase, Abraham Lincoln, Gideon Welles, Caleb Smith, William H. Seward, Montgomery Blair and Edward Bates

Congress in July 1862 moved to free the slaves by passing the Second Confiscation Act. The goal was to weaken the rebellion, which was led and controlled by slave owners. This did not abolish the legal institution of slavery (the 13th Amendment did that), but it shows Lincoln had the support of Congress in liberating the slaves owned by rebels. Lincoln implemented the new law by his "Emancipation Proclamation." Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincolns position on freeing the slaves was one of the central issues in American history. ... Leland-Boker Authorized Edition, printed in June 1864 with a presidential signature The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order given on January 1, 1863 by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, which declared the freedom of all slaves in those areas of the rebellious Confederate States... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Leland-Boker Authorized Edition, printed in June 1864 with a presidential signature The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order given on January 1, 1863 by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, which declared the freedom of all slaves in those areas of the rebellious Confederate States... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Edwin McMasters Stanton (December 19, 1814 – December 24, 1869), was an American lawyer, politician, United States Attorney General in 1860-61 and Secretary of War through most of the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. ... Salmon Portland Chase (January 13, 1808 – May 7, 1873) was an American politician and jurist in the Civil War era who served as Senator from Ohio, Governor of Ohio, as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln, and Chief Justice of the United States. ... Gideon Welles (July 1, 1802–February 11, 1878) was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869, including the entire duration of the American Civil War: his dedication to naval blockades was one of the key reasons for the Norths victory over the South. ... Caleb Blood Smith (April 16, 1808–January 7, 1864) was an American journalist and politician. ... William Henry Seward, Sr. ... Montgomery Blair (May 10, 1813–July 27, 1883), son of Francis Preston Blair and elder brother of Francis Preston Blair, Jr. ... Note: This article is about the American lawyer. ...

Lincoln is well known for ending slavery in the United States. In 1861-62, Lincoln made it clear that the North was fighting the war to preserve the Union, not to abolish slavery. Freeing the slaves became, in late 1862, a war measure to weaken the rebellion by destroying the economic base of its leadership class. Abolitionists criticized Lincoln for his slowness, but on August 22, 1862, Lincoln explained:

I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." ... My paramount object in this struggle is to sa