hairball18
finding my way
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- Oct 8, 2009
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It is February and so… I thought how about a post on one of our great presidents born in February.
Abraham Lincoln - 16th President of the United States
Abraham Lincoln's Childhood and Education:
Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. He moved to Indiana in 1816 and lived there the rest of his youth. His mother died when he was nine but he was very close to his stepmother who urged him to read. Lincoln himself stated that he had about one year of formal education. However, he was taught by many different individuals. He loved to read and learn from any books he could get his hands on.
Family Ties:
Father: Thomas Lincoln - farmer and carpenter
Mother: Nancy Hanks - died when Lincoln was nine. His stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston, was very close to him.
Siblings: Sarah Grigsby was the only sibling to live to maturity.
Wife: Mary Todd - grew up in relative wealth. Four of her siblings fought for the South. She was considered mentally unbalanced.
Children: Robert Todd - lawyer and diplomat; William Wallace - the only president's child to die in the White House, and Thomas "Tad" - died at 18.
Abraham Lincoln's Military Career:
In 1832, Lincoln enlisted to fight in the Black Hawk War. He was quickly elected to be the captain of a company of volunteers. His company joined regulars under Colonel Zachary Taylor. He only served 30 days in this capacity and then signed on as a private in the mounted Rangers. He then joined the Independent Spy Corps. He saw no real action during his short stint in the military.
Here is a bit of information on Zachary Taylor for you
Zachary Taylor Twelfth President of the United States
Birth: November 24, 1784
Death: July 9, 1850
Term of Office: March 4, 1849-July 9, 1850
Number of Terms Elected: 1 Term; Died in office from cholera morbus contracted from eating a bowl of cherries and drinking a pitcher of iced milk.
First Lady: Margaret "Peggy" Mackall Smith
Nickname: "Old Rough and Ready"
Zachary Taylor Quote: "It would be judicious to act with magnanimity towards a prostrate foe."
Major Events While in Office:
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850)
Lincoln’s Career Before the Presidency:
Lincoln worked as a clerk before joining the military. He ran for the state legislature and lost in 1832. He was appointed as Postmaster of New Salem by Andrew Jackson (1833-36). He was elected as a Whig to the Illinois legislature (1834-1842). He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1836. Lincoln served as a US Representative (1847-49). He was elected to the state legislature in 1854 but resigned to run for the US Senate. He gave his famous "house divided" speech after being nominated.
Here is a bit of information on Andrew Jackson for you
Andrew Jackson Seventh President of the United States
Birth: March 15, 1767
Death: June 8, 1845
Term of Office: March 4, 1829-March 3, 1837
Number of Terms Elected: 2 Terms
First Lady: Widower. His wife, Rachel Donelson Robards, died in 1828.
Nickname: "Old Hickory"; "King Andrew"
Andrew Jackson Quote: "Perpetuity is stamped upon the Constitution by the blood of our Fathers."
Major Events While in Office:
Peggy Eaton Affair (1828-1831)
Veto of Maysville Road Bill (1830)
Indian Removal Act of 1830 (1830)
Ordinance of Nullification (1832)
Veto of Recharter of Second Bank of the United States (1832)
Black Hawk War (1832)
Assassination Attempt (1835)
Texas Revolution (1836)
States Entering Union While in Office:
Arkansas (1836)
Michigan (1837)
Lincoln-Douglas Debates:
Lincoln debated his opponent, Stephen Douglas, seven times in what became known as the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. While they agreed on many issues, they disagreed over the morality of slavery. Lincoln did not believe that slavery should spread any further but Douglas argued for popular sovereignty. Lincoln explained that while he was not asking for equality, he believed African-Americans should get the rights granted in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Lincoln lost the state election to Douglas.
Here is a bit of information on the Lincoln-Douglas Debates for you
In 1858, Abraham Lincoln was a Republican running for the Illinois seat in the US Senate against incumbent Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of seven debates in various Illinois cities. These debates occurred between August 21 and October 15, 1858. The debates became highly publicized with newspapers across the United States reprinting them for their readers. Unlike the typical debates of today's candidates, the format of these debates allowed for one candidate to speak for 60 minutes, the other for 90, and then the first candidate to respond for an additional 30 minutes.
Slavery and the Debates
While many topics were discussed in these debates, the one which caused the most contention was that of slavery. Douglas was a Democrat who had supported the Dred Scott decision which equated slaves to property. He argued that Lincoln was an abolitionist who hoped to end slavery altogether. He used fear to fight against Lincoln claiming that if he won then freed blacks would end up moving to Illinois and taking jobs from whites.
Lincoln argued that while he wanted to end the extension of slavery into US territories, he was not fighting for political or social equality for blacks. Lincoln was then able to place Douglas in a no-win political position by forcing him to explain his support of popular sovereignty. Douglas did so in what is known as the Freeport Doctrine.
The Freeport Doctrine
Douglas basically explained in the Freeport Doctrine his belief that the people in a new territory should be able to decide whether or not they would allow slavery. This position pleased few in his party. Southern Democrats were upset with this because it allowed for the abolition of slavery. On the other hand, antislavery forces in the Democratic Party were unhappy because slavery could be further extended.
Results of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Douglas ended up defeating Lincoln in the Senate race. At that time, senators were chosen by state legislatures and the Democrats were able to take control of the Illinois legislature. However, Lincoln was able to take this defeat and turn it into victory two years later. He took the transcripts of the debates and published them in book form. The national attention on the debates brought him to the attention of the Republican Party and garnered him the nomination to run for president in 1860. Yet again, he faced Stephen Douglas running for the Southern Democratic party. However, this time the divisions amongst the Democratic Party over slavery and other issues worked in Lincoln's favor and he defeated Douglas and the other two candidates who were up against him: Northern Democrat John C. Breckinridge and Constitutional Unionist, John Bell.
Bid for the Presidency - 1860:
Lincoln was nominated for the presidency by the Republican Party with Hannibal Hamlin as his running mate. He ran on a platform denouncing disunion and calling for an end to slavery in the territories. The Democrats were divided with Stephen Douglas representing the Democrats and John Breckinridge the National (Southern) Democrats. John Bell ran for the Constitutional Union Party which basically took votes from Douglas. In the end, Lincoln won 40% of the popular vote and 180 of the 303 electors.
Reelection in 1864:
The Republicans, now the National Union Party, had some concern that Lincoln wouldn't win but still renominated him with Andrew Johnson as his Vice President. Their platform demanded unconditional surrender and the official end to slavery. His opponent, George McClellan, had been relieved as the head of the Union armies by Lincoln. His platform was that the war was a failure, and Lincoln had taken away too many civil liberties. Lincoln won because the war turned in the North's favor during the campaign.
Here is a bit of information on Andrew Johnson for you
Andrew Johnson Seventeenth President of the United States
Birth: December 29, 1808
Death: July 31, 1875
Term of Office: April 15, 1865 - March 3, 1869
Number of Terms Elected: 1 Term - Finished out the term after.
First Lady: Eliza McCardle
Andrew Johnson Quote: "Honest conviction is my courage; the Constitution is my guide."
Major Events While in Office:
Reconstruction
Thirteenth Amendment Ratified (1865)
Alaska Purchased (1867)
Impeachment Proceedings (1868)
Fourteenth Amendment Ratified (1868)
States Entering Union While in Office:
Nebraska (1867)
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln:
On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated while attending a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. Actor John Wilkes Booth shot him in the back of the head before jumping onto the stage and escaping to Maryland. Lincoln died on April 15th.
On April 26th, Booth was found hiding in a barn which was set on fire. He was then shot and killed. Eight conspirators were punished for their roles. Learn about the details and the conspiracies surrounding Lincoln's assassination.
Here is a bit more information on the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln for you
Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln attended the play, Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. They were to be accompanied by General Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia Dent Grant. However, Grant and his wife changed their plans and did not attend the play. The Lincoln's attended the play with Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone.
During the play, actor John Wilkes Booth entered Lincoln's State Box undetected and shot him in the back of the head. He also stabbed Henry Rathbone in the arm.
After shooting the President, Booth jumped out of the box onto the stage, broke his left leg and yelled something that some eyewitnesses reported as, "Sic Semper Tyrannus" (As always to tyrants).
Co-conspirator Lewis Powell (or Paine/Payne) attempted to assassinate Secretary of State William Seward, but only managed to injure him. David Herold accompanied Powell. However, Herold fled before the deed was finished. At the same time, George Atzerodt was supposed to have killed Vice-President Andrew Johnson. Atzerodt did not go through with the assassination.
Booth and Herold escaped the Capital and traveled to Mary Surratt's Tavern in Maryland where they picked up supplies. They then traveled to Dr. Samuel Mudd's house where Booth's leg was set.
Lincoln was taken to the Petersen House across the street from Ford's Theater where he eventually died at 7:22 A.M. April 15, 1865.
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton stayed with the Lincolns at the Petersen House and coordinated the efforts to capture the conspirators.
On April 26, Herold and Booth were found hiding in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia. Herold surrendered but Booth refused to come out of the barn so it was set on fire. In the ensuing chaos, a soldier shot and killed Booth.
Eight Lincoln conspirators were caught over the next few days and tried by a military court. They were found guilty on June 30 and given various sentences depending upon their involvement. Lewis Powell (Paine), David Herold, George Atzerodt and Mary Surratt were charged with conspiring with Booth along with various other crimes and hanged on July 7, 1865. Dr. Samuel Mudd was charged with conspiring with Booth and sentenced to life in prison. Andrew Johnson eventually pardoned him early in 1869. Samuel Arnold and Michael O'Laughlen had conspired with Booth to kidnap President Lincoln and were found guilty and sentenced to life. O'Laughlen died in prison but Arnold was pardoned by Johnson in 1869. Edman Spangler was found guilty of helping Booth escape from Ford's Theater. He was also pardoned by Johnson in 1869.
As stated before, these are the known facts. However, who was really involved in the death of Abraham Lincoln? Over the years, numerous theories have arisen to try and shed light on how this terrible tragedy could have occurred
Historical Significance:
Abraham Lincoln is considered by many scholars to have been the best President. He is credited with holding the Union together and leading the North to victory in the Civil War. Further, his actions and beliefs led to the emancipation of African-Americans from the bonds of slavery.
Events and Accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln's Presidency:
The main event of Lincoln's presidency was the Civil War that lasted from 1861-65. Eleven states seceded from the Union, and Lincoln firmly believed in the importance of not only defeating the Confederation but eventually reuniting North and South.
In September 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This freed the slaves in all Southern states. In 1864, Lincoln promoted Ulysses S. Grant to be Commander of all Union forces. Sherman's raid on Atlanta helped clench Lincoln's reelection in 1864. In April, 1865, Richmond fell and Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. During the Civil War, Lincoln curbed civil liberties including suspending the writ of habeas corpus. However, at the end of the Civil War, the Confederate officers were allowed to return home with dignity. In the end, the war was the most costly in American history. Slavery was forever ended with the passage of the 13th amendment.
Due to opposition to Virginia's secession from the Union, West Virginia broke off from the state in 1863 and was admitted to the Union. Also, Nevada was made a state in 1864.
Other than the Civil War, during Lincoln's administration the Homestead Act was passed which allowed squatters to take title to 160 acres of land after having lived in it for five years which helped populate the Great Plains.
I could go on some more, but I bet I have bored you guys to death as it is... Anyway I enjoy a bit of history now and then and thought you just might find some of this information interesting.
Have a great Tuesday everyone....
Hugs and kisses to you all
Tammy you are never boring
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