What is the best biography of Abraham Lincoln?

Best Biography of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, who presided from 1861 to 1865, is recognized as one of the country's greatest heroes because of his efforts to free enslaved people and lead the Union through the Civil War. The values of self-government that all nations aspire to realize are embodied in his passionate defense of democracy and determination that the Union was worth preserving. The Emancipation Proclamation, which Lincoln issued in 1863, emancipated slaves across the Confederacy. Lincoln's journey from impoverished circumstances to holding the nation's highest position is an amazing tale, and his passing is as noteworthy. He was killed by John Wilkes Booth in 1865 when he was 56 years old and the nation was only starting to slowly come together after the war. Lincoln's humanitarian temperament and immense effect on the country have left him with an enduring legacy.

FULL NAME:     Abraham Lincoln

BORN:                 February 12, 1809

DIED:                    April 15, 1865

BIRTHPLACE:     Hodgenville, Kentucky

SPOUSE: Mary     Todd Lincoln (m. 1842)

CHILDREN:           Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Baker Lincoln, William Wallace Lincoln, Thomas                 “Tad” Lincoln 

ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius

HEIGHT:                     6 feet 4 inches

Early Life, Parents, and Education

Abraham Lincoln came into the world on February 12, 1809, in the rural area of Hodgenville, Kentucky. His parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, were the pillars of his early life.

Thomas, a resilient and determined pioneer, achieved a modest level of prosperity and earned the respect of his community. The family expanded with the addition of two other children: Lincoln's elder sister, Sarah, and his younger brother, Thomas, who unfortunately passed away in infancy. This loss was just one of the hardships that the family would face.

In 1817, the Lincolns were compelled to leave Abraham's birthplace in Kentucky and relocate to Perry County, Indiana, due to a land dispute. In Indiana, the family settled on public land, where they built a rudimentary shelter and eked out a living through hunting and farming a small plot. Eventually, Lincoln's father was able to secure ownership of the land.

Tragedy struck when Lincoln was just 9 years old. His mother, at the age of 34, succumbed to tremetol, commonly known as milk sickness, on October 5, 1818. This loss had a profound impact on the young boy, leading to a sense of detachment from his father and a quiet resentment for the early burdens placed upon him.Just over a year after his mother's passing, in December 1819, Thomas Lincoln wed Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow from Kentucky who had raised three kids on her own. She was an independent and kind lady who Lincoln became close to.

Despite the likelihood that Lincoln's parents were both uneducated, Thomas' new spouse Sarah pushed him to read. Lincoln acquired his formal education while developing into a man, a process that took around 18 months in all.

Reading material was scarce in the Indiana woods. Neighbors remembered Lincoln walking for miles to borrow a book. He likely read the family Bible as well as other popular literature of the time, including Robinson Crusoe, Pilgrim's Progress, and Aesop's Fables.

The family relocated once more in March 1830, this time to Macon County, Illinois. When his father relocated the family to Coles County, Lincoln, at 22, walked out on his own, working in hard labor.

How Tall Was Abraham Lincoln?

Lincoln was 6 feet 4 inches tall, with a rawboned and lanky build, yet was muscular and physically strong. He moved with a lengthy stride and talked with a backwoods accent. He was recognized for his talent with an ax and made a career early on chopping wood for fires and rail fence.

Wrestling Hobby and Legal Career

Young Lincoln eventually made his way to the quaint community of New Salem, Illinois. Over the course of several years, he engaged in various occupations, including serving as a shopkeeper, postmaster, and ultimately becoming the proprietor of a general store. It was during this time, while interacting with the public, that Lincoln cultivated his social skills and honed his remarkable storytelling ability, which endeared him to the local residents.

Lincoln's physical prowess was also noteworthy. Despite his imposing stature, he was an exceptional wrestler, with only one recorded defeat—to Hank Thompson in 1832—over a span of 12 years. A shopkeeper in New Salem, Illinois, even organized wrestling matches for Lincoln as a promotional tactic for his business. Notably, Lincoln emerged victorious against a local champion named Jack Armstrong, achieving something of a heroic status. In recognition of his wrestling prowess, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame posthumously honored Lincoln with its Outstanding American Award in 1992.

When the Black Hawk War erupted in 1832 between the United States and Native American tribes, Lincoln's fellow volunteers in the area elected him as their captain. Although he did not see actual combat during this time, except for tussles with relentless mosquitoes, he managed to establish crucial political connections.

As Lincoln embarked on his political career in the early 1830s, he set his sights on becoming a lawyer. He diligently self-educated himself in the legal field by studying William Blackstone's "Commentaries on the Laws of England." After gaining admission to the bar in 1837, he relocated to Springfield, Illinois, and commenced his legal practice in the law firm of John T. Stuart.

In 1844, Lincoln formed a professional partnership with William Herndon in the practice of law. Despite their contrasting legal styles, they developed a close bond, both professionally and personally.

Although Lincoln earned a respectable income during his early years as a lawyer, he soon realized that Springfield alone did not provide enough legal work. To supplement his earnings, he began to follow the circuit as it traveled to the various county seats in Illinois, thereby expanding his legal practice.

Todd Lincoln 

Wife and Children

On November 4, 1842, Abraham Lincoln entered into matrimony with Mary Todd, a spirited and well-educated woman hailing from a prominent Kentucky family. Their marital journey, however, bore the mark of instability.

The engagement of the couple in 1840 left many of their friends and family puzzled, with even Lincoln himself occasionally questioning the attraction. In 1841, their engagement took an unexpected turn and was abruptly terminated, likely instigated by Lincoln. It wasn't until a later social gathering that Mary and Lincoln crossed paths once more, eventually leading to their marriage.

During their union, the couple welcomed four sons into their family: Robert Todd, Edward Baker, William Wallace, and Thomas "Tad." Tragically, only Robert survived to reach adulthood.

Before his marriage to Mary Todd, Lincoln had been involved in other romantic pursuits. Around 1837, he reportedly encountered Anne Rutledge and developed a romantic relationship with her. Before their engagement could materialize, a devastating typhoid fever outbreak struck New Salem, claiming Anne's life at the tender age of 22.

The loss of Anne Rutledge purportedly plunged Lincoln into severe despair. Nevertheless, historical accounts vary on the depth of Lincoln's connection with Rutledge, with some scholars suggesting that the extent of his grief may have been exaggerated over time.

Approximately a year after Rutledge's passing, Lincoln began courting Mary Owens. Their courtship spanned a few months, and marriage was contemplated. However, as time passed, Lincoln chose to call off the engagement.

Political Career

In 1834, Abraham Lincoln embarked on his political journey, securing a seat in the Illinois state legislature as a member of the Whig Party. Over a decade later, from 1847 to 1849, he held a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives. His venture into national politics appeared brief and uneventful, with Lincoln being the sole Whig representative from Illinois, demonstrating party loyalty but finding limited political allies.

During his time as a congressman, Lincoln used his tenure to voice his opposition to the Mexican-American War and threw his support behind Zachary Taylor's presidential candidacy in 1848. His stance against the war made him unpopular in his home state, prompting his decision not to seek reelection. Instead, he returned to Springfield to resume his legal practice.

As the 1850s rolled in, the railroad industry's westward expansion transformed Illinois into a crucial hub for numerous companies. Lincoln assumed the role of a lobbyist for the Illinois Central Railroad, serving as the company's attorney. His success in various legal cases attracted other business clients, including banks, insurance companies, and manufacturing firms. Lincoln also lent his legal expertise to criminal trials.

In a particularly notable case, a witness claimed to identify Lincoln's client, who was facing murder charges, based on the bright light of a full moon. Lincoln, however, consulted an almanac and demonstrated that the night in question had been too dark for the witness to make a clear identification. As a result, his client was acquitted.

Lincoln and Slavery

As a member of the Illinois state legislature, Abraham Lincoln aligned himself with the Whig political ideology, which advocated for government-sponsored infrastructure projects and protective tariffs. It was during this period that he began to shape his early perspectives on slavery, viewing it not only as a moral concern but also as an obstacle to economic progress.

The year 1854 marked a pivotal moment in American politics when Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise and granting states and territories the authority to decide on the issue of slavery. This legislation ignited vehement opposition in both Kansas and Illinois and played a crucial role in the emergence of the Republican Party as a political force.

This momentous shift in political landscape reignited Lincoln's passion for politics, prompting him to align himself with the newly formed Republican Party in 1856. During this period, his stance on slavery evolved from primarily economic concerns to a growing moral indignation.

In 1857, the Supreme Court issued the contentious Dred Scott decision, which controversially asserted that Black individuals were not citizens and lacked inherent rights. While Lincoln did not view Black people as social equals to whites, he firmly believed that the founding principles of the United States upheld the idea that all men were endowed with certain unalienable rights.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln's political journey was marked by a transformation in his views on slavery and a steadfast commitment to the principles of freedom and equality. Beginning as a member of the Illinois state legislature and adhering to Whig politics focused on economic development, Lincoln initially regarded slavery as an impediment to progress rather than a moral wrong.

However, the tumultuous political landscape of the 1850s, characterized by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the rise of the Republican Party, reshaped Lincoln's convictions. His shift towards moral indignation regarding slavery led him to join the Republican Party in 1856, marking a significant turning point in his political career.

The Supreme Court's controversial Dred Scott decision in 1857 further solidified Lincoln's belief in the fundamental principles of the United States, which held that all individuals, regardless of race, possessed inalienable rights. These convictions would ultimately propel him into the national spotlight and shape his presidency during one of the most challenging periods in American history, the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln's legacy endures as a symbol of leadership, courage, and unwavering commitment to the cause of liberty. His journey from a Whig legislator in Illinois to the 16th President of the United States reflects the transformative power of moral conviction and the enduring impact of principled leadership on the course of a nation's history.