Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 in Kentucky. His parents were natives of Virginia. The father, Thomas, was a wealthy landowner, but due to a legal error, he went bankrupt by 1816, and the whole family was forced to move to Indiana.

Soon after the move, Abraham's mother died and his father remarried a widow with three children.

Abraham is the only one of the children who was able to receive an education, although not a systematic one (he attended school for only one year). We can say that the future American president himself learned to read and write. He especially loved to read and read almost every book available in the area.

Start of independent life

According to a brief biography of Abraham Lincoln, in 1830 he decided to leave his family. He traveled around the country, visited slave markets in the South (after which he began to speak extremely negatively about the slave system) and eventually settled in Illinois, in the city of New Salem.

Lincoln devoted all his free time to self-education, and in 1832 he even tried to run for the State Legislative Assembly, but was unsuccessful. In 1833 he began working as a postmaster. This work gave him the opportunity to continue his self-education. Of all the sciences, he intensively studied law.

Beginning of a political career

In 1835, Abraham made a second attempt to get into the state Legislative Assembly. The attempt was successful, he passed and began to actively engage in politics. It was he who contributed to the transfer of the state capital to the city of Springfield. In this city he opened a law office (in 1836 he successfully passed the exam and received a lawyer's license).

Lincoln the lawyer had an impeccable reputation and, thanks to his oratorical abilities, often won cases in court. It is interesting that he did not take money from insolvent citizens. In his public speeches, he constantly spoke about the values ​​of democracy, the importance of the constitution and the need to preserve intact the legacy of the “Founding Fathers”.

Political career before presidency

In 1847, Lincoln became a member of the House of Representatives from the Whig Party. In 1856 he became a member of the Republican Party (like most Whigs), and in 1858 he ran for the US Senate.

During the election campaign, he again advocated the gradual abolition of slavery. Such moderate views led to his election as a candidate for the presidency of the United States from the Republican Party in 1860.

Lincoln won the election, but his election as president was the reason for the split in the Union and the basis for the beginning Civil War.

Presidency and Civil War

1861 is considered the year the American Civil War began. Lincoln was in a difficult position: he needed to solve the problem of creating and providing an army, as well as leading the country out of the agrarian crisis. It was precisely because of the internal problems of the North American states that the first year and a half of the war were not very successful for the North.

In 1862, Lincoln managed to create and arm an army, passed the Homestead Act (land distributions from the state) through the Senate, and finally decided on the issue of abolishing slavery. Lincoln changed his views from compromise to radical, and this led to the writing of the Emancipation Proclamation (which became the basis for the XIII Amendment to the US Constitution). All of these events marked the end of the South and the end of the Civil War. By 1865, the Confederate forces were completely defeated, Lincoln immediately proclaimed a course for the “restoration of the South” and the restoration of the Union.

Re-election to a second presidential term and death

In 1865, Abraham Lincoln was re-elected to a second presidential term. That same year he was assassinated by Confederate sympathizer John Booth. The 16th American president was buried in Springfield.

Family

In 1842, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd from Kentucky. The marriage was successful. The couple loved each other. They had four sons, three of whom died in childhood and adolescence.

Other biography options

• It is known that while living in New Salem, the future president was in desperate need. He often had to borrow, but he always repaid his debts on time, for which he earned the nickname “Honest Abe.” Another, no less famous nickname of the American president was “Uncle Abe.”
• Abraham Lincoln was physically well-developed and excellent with an ax, since in his youth his duty was to chop wood for the home.
• Lincoln's biography is very vivid. This man managed to destroy the stereotypes that had developed in the extremely conservative American society of the 19th century.

en.wikipedia.org

Biography

He grew up in the family of a poor farmer. From an early age he was engaged in physical labor. Due to the difficult financial situation of his family, he attended school for no more than a year, but managed to learn to read and write and fell in love with books. Having become an adult, he began an independent life, educated himself, passed exams and received permission to practice law. During the Indian Uprising in Illinois, he joined the militia and was elected captain, but did not take part in the fighting. He was also a member of the Illinois Legislative Assembly, the House of Representatives of the US Congress, in which he opposed the Mexican-American War. In 1858 he became a candidate for US senator, but lost the election.

As an opponent of the expansion of slavery into new territories, he was one of the initiators of the creation of the Republican Party, was chosen as its presidential candidate and won the elections of 1860. His election signaled the secession of the southern states and the emergence of the Confederacy. In his inaugural speech he called for the reunification of the country, but was unable to prevent conflict.

Lincoln personally directed the military effort that led to victory over the Confederacy during the Civil War of 1861-1865. His presidential activities led to increased executive power and the abolition of slavery in the United States. Lincoln included his opponents in the government and was able to attract them to work towards a common goal. The President kept Great Britain and other European countries from intervention throughout the war. During his presidency, the transcontinental railroad was built, the Homestead Act was adopted, which resolved the agrarian question. Lincoln was an outstanding orator, his speeches inspired northerners and remain a shining legacy to this day. At the end of the war, he proposed a plan for moderate Reconstruction, associated with national harmony and renunciation of revenge. He was a supporter of the integration of blacks into American society. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was mortally wounded in a theater, becoming the first US president to be assassinated. According to conventional wisdom and social polls, he remains one of America's best and most beloved presidents, although he was subject to severe criticism during his presidency.

Childhood

Lincoln's paternal ancestors can be traced to Samuel Lincoln, a weaver who emigrated from Hingham in Norfolk, England to Hingham in Massachusetts in 1637. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, into a family of uneducated farmers - Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, who lived in a small log cabin on a farm in Gardin County, Kentucky (near the town of Hodgenville). He was named after his grandfather, who was killed by Indians. When Abraham was seven years old (1816), the family moved to Indiana, and a little later to Illinois. At the age of nine (1818), Abraham lost his mother, after which his father married the widow Sarah Bush Johnston.

The stepmother, who had three children from her first marriage, believed that the children should receive an education. Lincoln became the first in his family to learn to write and count, although, according to his own admission, he attended school for no more than a year because of the need to help the family. Since childhood, he was addicted to books and carried his love for them throughout his life. Dennis, his childhood friend, later wrote:
“After Abe was 12 years old, there was never a time when I saw him without a book in his hands... At night in the hut, he would knock over a chair, block the light with it, sit on his edge and read. It was just weird that a guy could read that much.”

As a child, Lincoln read the Bible, Robinson Crusoe, The History of George Washington, and Aesop's fables. When he was a politician, he surprised many with his knowledge Holy Scripture, quotes from which he inserted into his speeches. A striking example is Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech, the leitmotif of which was the impossibility of the young country’s continued existence in a state of “half-slavery and half-freedom”; Subsequently, this speech became a textbook. In addition, Lincoln helped his neighbors write letters, thus honing his grammar and style. He sometimes walked 30 miles to court to hear lawyers speak.

From an early age, Abraham helped the family with field work, and as he grew older, he worked in a variety of ways - at the post office, as a lumberjack, as a land surveyor and as a boatman. He was especially good at chopping wood, for which he received the nickname “chip cutter.” Lincoln avoided hunting and fishing because of his moral convictions. Physically, Abraham was much more developed than his peers.

Slavery occupied a significant place in Lincoln's worldview. His uncle and his uncle's father owned slaves. Lincoln's father rejected slavery for both moral and material reasons: as a worker, he could not compete with slave labor.

Youth

In 1830, Abraham Lincoln's family moved again. Lincoln, having become an adult, decides to start an independent life. He found temporary work, during which he had the opportunity to sail down the Mississippi River and visit New Orleans, where Lincoln visited the slave market and retained his hostility to slavery throughout his life. He soon settled in the village of New Salem, Illinois. There he devoted all his free hours to self-education and classes with a local school teacher. At night, the future president read books by the light of a torch.

In 1832, Lincoln ran for a seat in the Illinois Legislature but was defeated. After this, he began to systematically study science. Lincoln initially wanted to become a blacksmith, but after meeting a justice of the peace, he took up law. At the same time, he and his companion tried to make money at a trading post, but things were going poorly. Sandburg, author of a popular biography of the president, writes:
“...Lincoln did what he read and dreamed. He had nothing to do, and he could sit for days with his thoughts, no one would interrupt him. Beneath this outward immobility, mental and moral maturation took place, slowly and steadily.”

In 1832, an uprising of Indians broke out in Illinois, who did not want to leave their native places and move west, across the Mississippi River. Lincoln joined the militia and was elected captain, but did not take part in the fighting. In 1833, Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem. Thanks to this, he received more free time, which he devoted to studies. The new position allowed him to read political newspapers before leaving.

At the end of 1833, Lincoln received the position of surveyor. Having agreed to this work, he spent six weeks intensively studying Gibson's Theory and Practice of Surveying and Flint's Course in Geometry, Trigonometry and Topography.

During his years living in New Salem, Lincoln often had to borrow money. With his habit of repaying his debts in full, he earned one of his most famous nicknames - “ Honest Abe» .

Beginning of a career as a politician and lawyer

In 1835 (at age 26), Lincoln was elected to the Illinois State Legislature, where he joined the Whigs. When Lincoln entered the political arena, Andrew Jackson was President of the United States. Lincoln welcomed his reliance on the people in political action, but did not approve of the policy of refusal federal center from regulating the economic life of the states. After the session of the Assembly, he took up the study of law even more decisively than before. Having studied on his own, Lincoln passed the bar exam in 1836. That same year, in the Legislative Assembly, Lincoln managed to achieve the transfer of the state capital from Vandaleia to Springfield, where he moved in 1837. There, together with William Butler, he united in the firm “Stuart and Lincoln”. The young legislator and lawyer quickly gained authority thanks to his oratorical abilities and impeccable reputation. He often refused to take fees from insolvent citizens whom he defended in court; traveled to different parts of the state to help people resolve litigation. After the assassination of an abolitionist newspaper publisher in 1837, Lincoln gave his first principled speech to the Young Men's Lyceum in Springfield, emphasizing the values ​​of democracy, the Constitution, and the legacy of the Founding Fathers.

In 1840, Lincoln met a girl from Kentucky named Mary Todd (1818-1882) and they married on November 4, 1842. Mary gave birth to four sons, of whom only the eldest, Robert Lincoln, lived long enough. Edward Lincoln was born March 10, 1846 and died February 1, 1850 in Springfield. William Lincoln was born December 21, 1850 and died February 20, 1862 in Washington, during his father's presidency. Thomas Lincoln was born April 4, 1853, died July 16, 1871 in Chicago.

Political career before presidency

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives (1847-1849) from the Whig Party. In Washington, not being a particularly influential figure, he, however, actively opposed the actions of President Polk in the Mexican-American War, considering it unjustified aggression on the part of the United States. Nevertheless, Lincoln voted for Congress to allocate funds for the army, for the material support of disabled soldiers, wives, and lost husbands, and also supported the demand for women's voting rights. Lincoln sympathized with the abolitionists and was an opponent of slavery, but did not recognize extreme measures and advocated the gradual emancipation of slaves, since he put the integrity of the Union above the freedom of blacks.

Popular opposition to the Mexican-American War damaged Lincoln's reputation in his home state, and he decided to forgo re-election to the House of Representatives. In 1849, Lincoln was notified that he had been appointed secretary of the then Oregon Territory. Accepting the offer would have meant the end of his career at booming Illinois, so he declined the assignment. Lincoln left political activity and in subsequent years he practiced law, became one of the leading lawyers in the state, and was legal counsel for the Illinois Central railroad. During his 23-year legal career, Lincoln was involved in 5,100 cases (excluding unreported cases), and he and his partners appeared before the State Supreme Court more than 400 times.

In 1856, like many former Whigs, he joined the anti-slavery Republican Party created in 1854, and in 1858 he was nominated as a candidate for a seat in the US Senate. His opponent in the election was Democrat Stephen Douglas. The debate between Lincoln and Douglas, during which the issue of slavery was discussed, became widely known (some called this debate a dispute between the “little giant” (S. Douglas) and the “big sucker” (A. Lincoln)). Lincoln was not an abolitionist, but opposed slavery on moral grounds. He saw slavery as a necessary evil in the agrarian economy of the South. Trying to challenge the arguments of Douglas, who accused his opponent of radicalism, Lincoln assured that he did not advocate granting political and civil rights to blacks. The issue of slavery, in his opinion, falls within the competence of individual states and the federal government has no constitutional right to interfere in this problem. At the same time, Lincoln firmly opposed the spread of slavery to new territories, which undermined the foundations of slavery, because its extensive nature required expansion into the undeveloped lands of the West. Stephen Douglas won the election, but Lincoln’s anti-slavery speech “A House Divided,” in which he substantiated the impossibility of the country’s continued existence in a state of “half-slavery and half-freedom,” spread widely in the United States, creating its author’s reputation as an anti-slavery fighter.

In October 1859, John Brown's rebellion broke out in the South, seizing the government arsenal and planning to start a slave rebellion in the South. The detachment was blocked by troops and exterminated. Lincoln condemned Brown's actions as an attempt to forcefully resolve the issue of slavery.

Presidential elections and inauguration

Elections

Moderate views on the issue of slavery determined the election of Lincoln as the compromise presidential candidate of the Republican Party in the 1860 election. The southern states threatened to secede from the Union if the Republicans won. Both parties, Democratic and Republican, fought over the values ​​that the candidates represented. Americans associated Lincoln's personality with hard work, honesty, and social mobility. Coming from the people, he was a “self-made” man. On November 6, 1860, participation in elections exceeded 80% of the population for the first time. Lincoln, largely thanks to the split in the Democratic Party, which nominated two candidates, managed to get ahead of his rivals in the elections and become President of the United States and the first from his new party. Lincoln won the election mainly due to the support of the North. In nine southern states, Lincoln's name did not appear on the ballot at all, and he managed to win only 2 out of 996 counties.

Division of the Union and Lincoln's Inauguration

Lincoln opposed the spread of slavery, and his election victory further divided the American people. Even before his inauguration, 7 southern states, at the initiative of South Carolina, announced their secession from the United States. The Upper South (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas) initially rejected the secessionist appeal, but soon joined the rebellion. Incumbent James Buchanan and president-elect Lincoln refused to recognize secession. In February 1861, the Constitutional Convention in Montgomery (Alabama) proclaimed the creation of the Confederate States of America, and Jefferson Davis was elected president, who took the oath of office that same month. Richmond became the capital of the state.

Lincoln evaded would-be assassins in Baltimore and arrived in Washington on February 23, 1861, on a special train. During his inauguration on March 4, the capital was filled with troops maintaining order. In his speech, Lincoln said:
I believe that, from the point of view of universal law and the Constitution, the union of these states is eternal. Eternity, even if not expressly expressed, is implied in the Basic Law of all government forms of government. It can be stated with confidence that no system of government as such has ever had in its Basic Law a provision for the termination own existence…And again, if the United States is not a system of government in the proper sense of the word, but an association of States founded merely by compact, can it, as a compact, be peaceably dissolved by fewer parties than were at its creation? One party to the contract can violate it, that is, break it, but isn’t everyone’s consent required to legally cancel it? Based on these general principles, we come to the statement that from a legal point of view the Union is eternal, and this is confirmed by the history of the Union itself. ...It follows that no state has the right to secede from the Union purely on its own initiative, that decisions and regulations adopted for this purpose have no legal force, and that acts of violence committed within any state (or states) directed against the Government of the United States , acquire, depending on the circumstances, an insurrectionary or revolutionary character.

In his speech, Lincoln also stated that he had “no intention of interfering directly or indirectly with the functioning of the institution of slavery in those States where it exists”: “I believe that I have no legal right to do so, and I am not inclined to do so. » Lincoln called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and restoration of the unity of the United States. However, the exit had already been completed and the Confederation was intensively preparing for military action. The overwhelming majority of representatives of the southern states in the US Congress left it and went over to the side of the South.

After taking office, Lincoln used a protectionist system of distributing posts. Already in the spring of 1861, 80% of the posts controlled by Democrats were occupied by Republicans. When forming the government, Lincoln included his opponents in it: the post of US Secretary of State was William Seward, Secretary of Justice - Edward Bates, Secretary of the Treasury - Salmon Chase.

American Civil War

Beginning of the war (1861-1862)

The fighting began on April 12, 1861, with a Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay, which was forced to surrender after 34 hours of shelling. In response, Lincoln declared the Southern states in a state of rebellion, ordered a naval blockade of the Confederacy, called for volunteers for the army, and later introduced conscription. Even before Lincoln’s inauguration, a lot of weapons and ammunition were brought to the south, and seizures of federal arsenals and warehouses were organized. The most combat-ready units were located here, which were replenished with hundreds of officers who left the federal army. The beginning of the Civil War was unsuccessful for the North. Southerners, prepared for combat, were in a hurry to defeat the Union forces before the North mobilized its superior military and economic potential. Heavily criticized for military defeats and economic difficulties, Lincoln, despite his lack of military experience, took decisive steps to form a combat-ready army, not even stopping at restricting civil liberties or spending funds not yet approved in the Congressional budget. In the first major battle in Virginia, at the Manassas railroad station on July 21, 1861, the Federal army was defeated. On November 1, Lincoln appointed J.B. McClellan as commander in chief, who avoided active action. On October 21, its units were defeated near Washington. On November 8, 1861, the British steamer Trent was captured, carrying southern ambassadors. This sparked the Affair of Trent and nearly led to war against Great Britain.

In February-March 1862, General Ulysses Grant managed to oust the southerners from Tennessee and Kentucky. By the summer, Missouri was liberated, and Grant's troops entered the northern regions of Mississippi and Alabama. As a result of the landing operation on April 25, 1862, New Orleans was captured. McClellan was removed from his post as commander-in-chief by Lincoln and placed at the head of one of the armies whose task was to capture Richmond. McLellan chose defensive action instead of offensive action. On August 29-30, the Northerners were defeated at the Second Battle of Bull Run, after which Lincoln called up 500,000 men. On September 7, at Antietam Creek, the South's 40,000-man army was attacked by McClellan's 70,000-man army, which defeated the Confederates. The flooding of the Potomac River cut off Lee's route of retreat, but McClellan, despite Lincoln's orders, abandoned the offensive and missed the opportunity to complete the defeat of the southerners.

After the Battle of Antietam, Great Britain and France refused to enter the war and recognize the Confederacy. During the war, Russia maintained friendly relations with the United States. The Russian squadron visited San Francisco and New York in 1863-1864.

The year 1862 was also marked by the first battle of armored ships in history, which took place on March 9 off the coast of Virginia. The 1862 campaign ended with the defeat of the Northerners at Friedericksberg on December 13.

Political process

The difficult situation of the federal army caused discontent among the population. Lincoln was under pressure from the Republican Party, which included both supporters of the immediate abolition of slavery and those advocating the gradual emancipation of slaves. Lincoln adhered to a policy of compromise, thanks to which he was able to prevent a split in the party. He was convinced that even in wartime a political process must be carried out in the country. This made it possible to maintain freedom of speech throughout the Civil War, avoiding serious restrictions on civil liberties and a crisis in the two-party system. During Lincoln's presidency, elections were held and citizens participated in government. After the Southern attack on Fort Sumter, some members of the Democratic Party formed a “loyal opposition” that supported government policies. On August 22, 1862, in an interview with the New York Tribune, when asked why he was slow to free the slaves, Lincoln replied:

My highest object in this struggle is the preservation of the union, not the preservation or abolition of slavery. If I could save the union without freeing a single slave, I would do so, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do so, and if I could save it by freeing some slaves and not others. freed, I would do it. What I do in the matter of slavery and for the colored race, I do because I believe it will help preserve the union... By this I have explained here my intention, which I consider as an official duty. And I do not intend to change my often expressed personal desire that all people everywhere should be free.

Homestead

At the initiative of Abraham Lincoln, the Homestead Act was passed on May 20, 1862, according to which every citizen of the United States who had reached the age of 21 and had not fought on the side of the Confederacy could receive from public trust land a plot of land not exceeding 160 acres (65 hectares) upon payment of a registration fee. fee of 10 dollars. The law came into force on January 1, 1863. A settler who began to cultivate the land and began to erect buildings on it received free ownership of this land after 5 years. The plot could be purchased ahead of schedule by paying $1.25 per acre. Under the Homestead Act, about 2 million homesteads were distributed in the United States, totaling about 285 million acres (115 million hectares). This law radically solved the agrarian problem, directing the development Agriculture along the farming route, led to the settlement of hitherto desert territories and provided Lincoln with the support of the broad masses of the population.

Freeing the Slaves

Failures in the war and its prolongation gradually changed Lincoln's attitude towards the issue of slavery. He came to the conclusion that the United States would either become completely free or completely slave-owning. It became clear that the main goal of the war - the restoration of the Union - was becoming unattainable without the abolition of slavery. Lincoln, who had always advocated the gradual emancipation of blacks on a compensatory basis, now believed that slavery must be abolished. Preparations for the abolition of the institute were carried out throughout 1862. On December 30, 1862, the President signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring blacks living in territories in rebellion against the United States “now and forever” free. The document gave impetus to the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment (1865) to the American Constitution, which completely abolished slavery in the United States. The Proclamation was rightfully criticized by Radical Republicans because it emancipated slaves in areas where the federal government did not extend authority, but it changed the nature of the Civil War, turning it into a war to abolish slavery. In addition, it forced foreign countries, including Great Britain, not to support the Confederacy. British Prime Minister Palmerston was unable to organize an intervention due to public resistance. The emancipation of the slaves made it possible to recruit black Americans into the army. By the end of the war, there were 180 thousand blacks in the federal troops.

A turning point in the Civil War. Battle of Gettysburg

On March 3, 1863, conscription was introduced for the first time in the history of the United States. At the same time, the rich were allowed to hire dummies and buy off their service, which provoked unrest, during which many blacks died and became victims of lynchings.

In May 1863, the 130,000-strong Union army was defeated by General Lee's 60,000-strong army. The northerners retreated, and the Confederates, bypassing Washington from the north, entered Pennsylvania. In this situation great importance acquired the outcome of the three-day battle at Gettysburg, during which more than 50 thousand people died. Lee's army was defeated and retreated to Virginia. 4th of July on western front After a multi-day siege and two unsuccessful assaults, General Grant captured the Vicksburg fortress. On July 8, Port Hudson in Louisiana was captured. Thus, control over the Mississippi River valley was established, and the Confederacy was divided into two parts. On November 19, 1863, a ceremony was held to open the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where the fallen participants in the battle were buried. During the opening of the memorial, Lincoln delivered one of his most famous speeches, once again confirming his extraordinary oratorical talents. At the end of the short speech it was said:
“We must solemnly decree that these deaths will not be in vain, and our nation, under the protection of God, will receive new source freedom, and this government of the people, created by the people and for the people, will not die on earth.”

In December 1863, Lincoln promised amnesty to all rebels (except Confederate leaders) subject to an oath of allegiance to the United States and acceptance of the abolition of slavery. The year ended with victory at Chattanooga.

Re-election, end of the war

Ideas about ending the war became increasingly popular among the people. Lincoln's task was to instill in Americans confidence in victory. The President abolished the transfer of those arrested to court, which allowed the imprisonment of deserters and the most ardent supporters of slavery and peace. In the 1863 elections to Congress, the Democrats managed to narrow the gap in the number of mandates, but the Republicans still managed to maintain a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In March 1864, Lincoln appointed Ulysses Grant as commander-in-chief, who, together with W. Sherman and F. Sheridan, implemented the plan developed by Lincoln - to weaken the southerners and defeat them by launching coordinated attacks. The main blow was dealt by Sherman's army, which launched an invasion of Georgia in May. Grant's army acted against General Lee.

Despite his own doubts and the objections of party leaders, Lincoln decided to run for a second term, although over the past four years he had made many enemies, was often criticized by newspapers and was hated by many people. The Democratic Party declared as its slogan the end of the war and negotiations. Her candidate was General J.B. McLellan, who was dismissed by Lincoln as commander in chief in 1862. In the Republican Party, Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase tried to become one of the contenders, but Lincoln was the only candidate nominated. Sherman's capture of Atlanta, the breadbasket of the Confederacy, on September 2, 1864, allowed Lincoln to defeat his rival, a supporter of peace, McClellan, in the presidential election and gain 212 of 233 electoral votes. At Lincoln's insistence, Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution on January 31, 1865, prohibiting slavery in the country. At the beginning of 1865, the victory of the northerners was already a foregone conclusion. In his second inaugural speech, Lincoln called for a renunciation of vengeance and set the tasks of reconstructing the South and building a harmonious Union:
“Without malice towards any, full of mercy, firm in the truth, Americans must bind up the wounds of the country ... do everything possible to win and maintain a just and lasting peace in their home and with all the peoples of the world.”

Grant, who had an army of 115 thousand people in the spring of 1865, forced Lee, who had only 54 thousand people at his disposal, to leave Petersburg, and on April 2 - the capital of the confederation, Richmond. On April 9, 1865, Lee signed the Surrender; the resistance of individual units was suppressed by the end of May. After the arrest of Jefferson Davis and members of his government, the Confederacy ceased to exist.

Lincoln Assassination

The Civil War ended with the surrender of the Confederate States of America on April 9, 1865. The country had to carry out Southern Reconstruction and begin the process of integrating blacks into American society. Five days after the end of the war, on the day Good Friday On April 14, 1865, at the performance of My American Cousin (at Ford's Theatre), pro-Southern actor John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln in the head. The next morning, Abraham Lincoln died without regaining consciousness. Millions of Americans, white and black, came to pay their last respects to their president during the two-and-a-half week journey of the funeral train from Washington to Springfield. The train was carrying two coffins: a large coffin containing the body of Abraham Lincoln and a small one containing the body of his son William, who had died three years earlier during Lincoln's presidency. Abraham and William Lincoln were buried in Springfield in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Lincoln's tragic death contributed to the creation around his name of an aura of a martyr who gave his life for the reunification of the country and the liberation of black slaves.

Results of the Presidency and Historical Significance of Abraham Lincoln

The Civil War was the deadliest military conflict in the history of the United States and the most difficult test for American democracy. Abraham Lincoln became a central historical figure in the consciousness of the American people, a man who prevented the collapse of the United States and made a significant contribution to the formation of the American nation and the abolition of slavery as the main obstacle to the subsequent normal development of the country. Lincoln laid the foundation for the modernization of the South and the emancipation of slaves. He is the author of the formulation of the main goal of democracy: “A government created by the people, from the people and for the people.” His presidency also saw the construction of the transcontinental railroad to Pacific Ocean, the infrastructure system was expanded, a new banking system was created, the agrarian problem was solved. However, at the end of the war, the country faced many problems, including uniting the nation and equalizing the rights of blacks and whites. In part, these problems still face American society. After Lincoln's assassination, the economy of the United States became the most dynamically developing economy in the world for a long time, which allowed the country to become a world leader at the beginning of the 20th century. In many ways, his personal qualities made it possible to mobilize the forces of the state and reunite the country. Lincoln adhered to strict moral principles and had a sense of humor, but was also prone to strong melancholy. To this day, Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the most intellectual presidents of the United States. As a sign of the gratitude of the American people, a memorial was erected in Washington to the sixteenth President Abraham Lincoln as one of the four presidents who determined the historical development of the United States of America.

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln is commemorated in a memorial located on the Esplanade in downtown Washington from 1914 to 1922, symbolizing the president's belief that all men should be free. The building symbolizes the USA; it is supported by 36 columns (the number of states during Lincoln's presidency). Inside this white marble structure, sculptor Daniel French placed a six-meter statue of the president-liberator sitting in thought. On internal walls The texts of Lincoln's Gettysburg and Second Inaugural Addresses are reproduced under the allegorical murals of the memorial.

In addition, many monuments have been erected in honor of Lincoln in the United States, a city, streets, a university, various centers, a brand of prestigious cars, and an aircraft carrier are named. The president's profile is carved into Mount Rushmore. Abraham Lincoln's birthday is a national holiday in some states of the United States. Lincoln is also featured on the $5 bill.

Bibliography

* Burova I. I., Silinsky S. V. USA. St. Petersburg, 2002
* Rubinstein L. Honest Abe. - M., 1962.
* Sandburg K. Lincoln. - M., 1961.
* Isaac N. Arnold. The Life of Abraham Lincoln. - 1885. (The book was written by a friend and like-minded person of Lincoln.) (English)
* Ivanov Robert. Diplomacy of Abraham Lincoln.
* Burova I. I., Silinsky S. V. USA. St. Petersburg, 2002

Notes

1. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p. 371. Henry Dawes: “Not a single person had such political insight, which gave him the opportunity to gather around himself people who sincerely supported the government, and rivals who had antagonistic theories, irreconcilable enemies who would otherwise destroy any other government
2. Dale Carnegie. vol. 1, p. 230, due to " New world", M., 1983.
3. 1 2 Burova I. I., Silinsky S. V. USA. St. Petersburg, 2002
4. Americans have identified the best US president
5. Independent information and analytics from the USA
6. Lincoln on the website "When? Where? How?
7. 1 2 Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p. 243 The London newspaper “Morning Chronicle” wrote: “Abraham Lincoln, whose rise to power was welcomed on this side of the ocean, showed himself to be an insignificant person, without a broad outlook, very mediocre.” .
8. 1 2 Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p. 289 Wendell Phillips: “The president has no opinion. He did not utter a single word that would give the slightest idea of ​​​​his intentions in the matter of abolition of slavery. He is probably an honest man; however, no one cares whether the turtle is honest or not. The president has no intuition, no foresight, no determination.”
9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 10. Biography of Abraham Lincoln on the website of the Around the World encyclopedia
11. 1 2 Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p. 15
12. www.hrono.ru biography of Abraham Lincoln - main milestones, dates and descriptions.
13. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p. 16
14. Some believe that many of Lincoln's abilities are explained by the fact that he suffered from Marfan syndrome, but these assumptions have no scientific evidence.
15. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p. 23
16. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 pp. 28-29
17. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p. 30
18. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p.83
19. Data taken from an article about Abraham Lincoln in the English-language Wikipedia.
20. Lincoln's first inaugural address on the website "US History in Documents"
21. This happened before Lincoln's inauguration, during the presidency of James Buchanan.
22. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p. 211.
23. Biography of Abraham Lincoln on the Chronos website
24. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
25. After the capture, Lincoln visited the city, including the White House of the Confederacy, where he sat for a few minutes thoughtfully at Jefferson Davis's desk.
26. William Wallace "Willie" Lincoln
27. Abraham LINCOLN. Honest, kind and stubborn "old Abe" /DAY/
28. Abraham Lincoln: “I am the most pathetic person alive. If what I feel is divided among the entire human race, there will not be a single smile left on earth. Whether I will become better, I don’t know. I'm afraid not, and that's terrible. It is impossible to remain as you are. I must die or become better...” The statement is on this site
29. G. Whitney: “No trait of Mr. Lincoln’s character was so obvious as his mysterious and deep melancholy.”
30. Sandburg K. Lincoln / Carl Sandburg; abbr. lane from English B. Gribanov and L. Sheffer. - Moscow: Young Guard, 1961. - 700 p., p. 94 John T. Stewart saw in Lincoln a hopeless victim of melancholy. Henry C. Whitney, a colleague of Lincoln's, wrote: “I... saw Lincoln in the corner, sitting alone. His face was darkened by deep sorrowful feelings.”
31. Referring to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt

- politician, writer, national hero, American statesman who left an unforgettable mark on the history of his country. Abraham Lincoln - 16th President of the United States (1861-1865).

The biography of Abraham Lincoln is amazing and varied.

Our hero was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln's date of birth is February 12, 1809. He lived only 56 years (the date of death of Abraham Lincoln is April 15, 1865).

He was born into a wealthy farming family. They owned pastures, hundreds of head of cattle, several stone houses in the city, but his father Thomas Lincoln got something wrong in the ownership documents.

Because of this legal error, the family lost everything and was forced to move from their home to develop new lands in Indiana. Then Abraham was seven years old. Further childhood of the future President Abraham Lincoln passed in poverty.

In 1818, two years later, Abraham's mother Nancy Hanks died. The father marries the widow Sarah Bush Johnston, who already had children of her own. The relationship with my stepmother was quite warm. Relations with my father gradually deteriorated.

Lincoln's father couldn't read and wanted his son to grow up to be a hardworking guy like himself. The will to knowledge pulled Abe (as he was called then) in the other direction. However, he only went to school for one year. Abraham Lincoln acquired all further knowledge through self-education, which he was always proud of. He worked during the day and read at night. This often happened to the detriment of work. But neighbors often asked him for help - he wrote letters and drafted documents, acquiring new skills and experience.

In his youth, Abe traveled down the Mississippi River, where he became an opponent of slavery. Here, in the village of New Salem, he continued his self-education.

In 1832, Abraham Lincoln ran for a seat in the Illinois Legislature. That time he was defeated.

In 1832, an uprising of Indians broke out in Illinois, who did not want to leave their native places and move west, beyond the Mississippi. Lincoln participated in the militia against the Indians and was even promoted to captain.

In 1833, Abe was appointed postmaster in the town where he lived, New Salem. Here he had a lot of free time for self-education and the opportunity to read newspapers and keep abreast of the political affairs of the country.

At the end of 1833, Lincoln received the position of surveyor and again used this chance to deeply study highly specialized knowledge in topography, geometry, and trigonometry. He worked hard on self-education.

When Lincoln lived in New Salem, he often had to borrow money. He always repaid debts meticulously and honestly, which earned him the nickname “Honest Abe.”

In 1835, at age 26, he became a member of the Illinois Legislature, becoming an opponent of the Democratic President.

In 1836, Lincoln passed the bar exam after studying the law on his own. Many kilometers away, Abraham went to the city to the courts to listen and gain practice in legal matters.

An amazing thirst for development, moving forward! Just a rare person, truly, the likes of which you won’t meet these days!!!

He has a good reputation and excellent oratory skills. He strengthens his impeccable reputation by providing free legal assistance to the poor.

In the same 1836, in the Legislative Assembly, Lincoln managed to achieve the transfer of the state capital from Vandaleia to Springfield.

In 1837, Lincoln moved to the state capital of Springfield.

In 1842, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd. She bore him four sons, three of whom died in childhood. Only the eldest, Robert Todd Lincoln, survived. Years of life: 1843 -1926. He was known as a lawyer and minister of war. Had three children.

In 1846, Abraham Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives from the Whig Party. The Mexican-American War began. Lincoln opposes US aggression because... this will lead to aggravation of internal relations in the country, in which at this time the problem of Negro slavery is worsening.

Abraham Lincoln advocated the gradual emancipation of slaves. In his opinion, this

In 1849, Abraham retired from politics and entered the practice of law, becoming one of the leading lawyers in the state. He accepts an offer to become a lawyer for the Illinois Central railroad.

Lincoln's legal career spans 23 years.

1854 marked the founding of the Republican Party, which included former Whigs, including Abraham Lincoln. He initiated the creation of this party. He is nominated for a seat in the US Senate.

In a debate with Democratic challenger Stephen Douglas, he denounced slavery on moral grounds.

Today one could call Lincoln a racist and even a fascist, because... he considered blacks to be an inferior race. He was convinced of the impossibility of equal coexistence between blacks and whites. He also opposed the expansion of plantations into undeveloped territories, which, of course, aroused the anger of slave owners.

In 1858, Lincoln became a candidate for US Senator. Then he lost the election.

Now his name is "Uncle Abe."

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, the Republican Party candidate, won the election for President of the United States of America.

In 1861, the US Civil War began and lasted until 1865. The election of Abraham Lincoln as president signaled the start of this war, and the southern states seceded from the northern. First, without waiting for the inauguration, seven states, led by South Carolina, announced their withdrawal from the United States. Then eight more states join them.

In February 1861, in the city of Montgomery (Alabama), secessionists proclaimed the Confederate States of America, led by Jefferson Davis. The capital of the Confederacy was the city of Richmond.

Lincoln called for the reunification of the country in his inaugural address, but the conflict had already flared up. Confederates, confident in their moral and military superiority, are preparing for active hostilities.

The South had military superiority over the North because... The army of the south was led by talented generals, combat-ready units and well-motivated officers. Arsenals of weapons were replenished long before the start of the conflict. Finally, the very real hope that Great Britain would support - all this generally contributed to the victories of the southerners in the first months of the confrontation.

President Abraham Lincoln competently leads the civil war, forms a combat-ready army, and blocks the enemy from the sea. Military conscription is introduced and civil liberties are limited.

Already in February-March 1861, the scales tipped to the side of the federates. The army of the North ousts the army of the southerners, first from Kentucky and Tennessee, then from Mississippi.

Advancing with varying success, the north is pushing back the enemy.

On December 30, 1862, the President signed a piece of legislation, the Emancipation Proclamation.

Now all black slaves were declared free.

There was a turning point in the civil war: great amount blacks joined the ranks of the army of the north. The war began to have a liberation character.

Lincoln achieved the neutrality of England and France. Russian Emperor Alexander II, sympathizing with the US President, sent a squadron to New York and San Francisco.

With a strong-willed effort, old Abe managed to gather the economic and military power of the North into a fist and crush the southern slaveholders.

Lincoln understood and loved his people very much, for which grateful American citizens responded to him with universal support.

In 1864, Lincoln was re-elected to a second term.

On April 9, 1865, Confederate Commander-in-Chief Lee signed a surrender. President Jefferson Davis was arrested. The south was given over to plunder by merchants and bankers. Wanting to humiliate whites, blacks were often specially appointed to government positions, because the abolition of slavery did not at all mean an expansion of freedom and opportunities for former slaves. For many years the South was doomed to humiliation and poverty.

Abraham Lincoln is credited with facts such as the fact that this man was able to keep the country from collapse, solved the agrarian problem, and created a new banking system. In addition, Lincoln saved the United States from the shame of slavery, although there was hypocrisy in society towards blacks. The abolition of slavery was one of Abraham Lincoln's major democratic reforms.

If you want to succeed, continue to believe in yourself even when no one believes in you anymore.

He remained one of America's best and most beloved presidents, a liberator of American slaves, a national hero of the American people, although he was subject to severe criticism during his presidency. The outstanding biography of Abraham Lincoln is proof of this.

You can read an article about Soviet fashion models Regina Zbarskaya and Marina Ivleva .

Abraham Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His father was Thomas Lincoln, a respectable farmer, and his mother was Nancy Hanks, who moved to the state from West Virginia. Alas, young Abraham was not destined to grow up in a wealthy family: in 1816, his father lost most of his property in a legal battle that stemmed from a fateful legal error in the farmer's property documents.

The bankrupt family moved to Indiana, hoping to try their luck in developing free new lands. Soon Nancy Hanks died, and her older sister Sarah took over a number of her duties in caring for Lincoln Jr. In 1819, Thomas Lincoln, recovering from his loss, married Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow who at that time had three children from her first marriage. The future president developed a very warm relationship with Sarah Bush, and gradually she became a second mother to him.

Young Abraham had to take on any part-time job to help his family make ends meet. The exception was fishing and hunting: young Lincoln never took on such work, since it did not correspond to his moral principles.

Abraham became the first in his family to learn to count and write, and also became extremely fond of reading. What’s interesting is that for all our early years the young man attended school for a total of no more than a year. He was forced to work to help his family, but his tireless thirst for knowledge helped him become a literate person.

When Abraham Lincoln turned 21, his large family decided to move. At the same time, a stately, intelligent young man, whose height was 193 cm, and whose level of erudition was not inferior to the knowledge of any peer who had undergone full-fledged schooling, decided to start an independent life. Until then, he worked regularly for the benefit of his family and gave all his income to his parents, but such activities did not suit him in the context of his life as a whole.

It is worth noting that the success story of Abraham Lincoln is a story not only of inspiring victories, but also of resounding slaps in the face from fate, which the politician always knew how to withstand with true dignity. So, in 1832, he tried to be elected to the Illinois Legislative Assembly, but failed. Then Lincoln began to study the sciences even more seriously than before (he was especially interested in law).

At the same time, the young man and his friend tried to make money at a trading post, but the business of the young entrepreneurs was going very badly. Abraham, forced to count every penny, was saved only by reading a lot and constantly dreaming. Around the same time, Lincoln formed his negative attitude towards slavery.

Subsequently, young Abraham managed to get the position of postmaster in the town of New Salem, and after some time he took the post of surveyor. While living in New Salem, Lincoln acquired one of his most widely known nicknames: "Honest Abe."

Money was still tight for the politician, so he often had to borrow from his friends. But he always repaid his debts on time to the last penny, for which he received such a nickname.

Beginning of a political career

In 1835, Abraham Lincoln again tried to be elected to the Illinois State Legislature, and this time he was successful. In 1836, the politician successfully passed the examination for the official title of lawyer, having studied all areas of the law on his own. Subsequently, he worked in the legal field for quite a long time, including taking on complex cases and refusing to receive payment from low-income citizens who needed his help. In his speeches, Abraham always emphasized democratic values.

In 1846, Honest Abe entered the House of Representatives. As in the elections to the Illinois Legislature, he was elected from the Whig party. Lincoln condemned the aggressive actions of the United States in the Mexican-American War, supported the desire of women to gain suffrage, and spoke out for the gradual ridding of the country from the slave system.

After some time, Abraham had to step away from politics for a while, since his negative attitude towards the Mexican-American War, which was then very popular among the masses, became the reason for the politician’s rejection by his home state. Without covering his head with ashes because of this failure, Lincoln began to devote a lot of time to legal practice.

In 1854, the US Republican Party was created, advocating the abolition of slavery, and in 1856 the politician became part of a new political force. It is worth noting that at that time many former followers of the Whig Party joined the Republican Party.

A few years later, he, along with Democratic Representative Stephen Douglas, ran for the US Senate. During the debates, Lincoln once again expressed his negative attitude towards slavery, which allowed him to create a good reputation, although he lost the election.

President of the U.S.A

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the Republican Party candidate for President of the United States. He was known for his hard work, high moral principles, and had the reputation of “a man of the people.” Interesting facts about politics were read with interest from the pages of newspapers, and his photos were invariably associated with honesty and valor. As a result, the politician won the elections, gaining more than 80% of the votes.

However, the newly elected president also had many opponents. His policy, which excluded the possibility of the expansion of slavery, caused several states to declare secession from the United States. The president's statements that the abolition of slavery in those states where it already operates is not planned in the near future could not resolve the irreconcilable contradictions between supporters of the slave system and its opponents.

American Civil War

The war between 15 slave states and 20 states where slavery did not exist began in 1861 and lasted until 1865, becoming a serious test for the newly elected president. In this war, many more American citizens met their premature death than in any other armed conflict in which the United States participated.

The war included a lot of small and large battles and ended with the surrender of the Confederacy, which united the states that supported the legality of the slave system. The country had to undergo the difficult process of integrating the freed black population into American society.

During the war, the president's primary interest was democracy. He made every effort to ensure that, even during the Civil War, the two-party system functioned successfully in the country, elections were organized, freedom of speech and other civil liberties of US residents were preserved.

Second term and murder

During the war years, Abraham Lincoln made many enemies. However, the president was benefited by the abolition of the transfer of arrested citizens to the court, thanks to which all deserters, as well as the most ardent admirers of the slave system, could be immediately imprisoned.

The people also liked the Homestead Act, according to which a settler who began to cultivate the land on a certain plot and erected buildings on it became its full owner.

All this allowed Lincoln to be re-elected to a second term, but to govern home country he, alas, did not have long. On April 14, 1865, five days after the official end of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater by actor John Wilkes Booth, who had fought for the Southern cause. It is noteworthy that many similarities were subsequently discovered between the circumstances of Lincoln's death and how he was assassinated about a century later.

Today, Lincoln is considered one of the most worthy US presidents, who prevented the collapse of the nation and made a lot of efforts for the liberation of African Americans. A statue of the president was erected in Washington as a sign of the gratitude of all the American people. Quotes from the 16th President of the United States became part of folk wisdom Americans.

Personal life

Honest Abe most likely suffered from a condition called Marfan syndrome. In addition, depression was a frequent companion of Abraham: they say that in his youth the young man even tried to commit suicide several times.

In 1840, the future president met Mary Todd, and in 1842 the couple married. The wife always supported her husband in all his endeavors, and soon after his death she lost her mind.

Four sons were born into the family, but, alas, many of the children of the Lincoln couple died in infancy or young age. The only child of Mary and Abraham who survived adolescence and died in old age was the eldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln.

Anatskaya A.

Lincoln Abraham (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States (1861-65), one of the organizers of the Republican Party (1854), which opposed slavery.

"Rumor says: 'A house divided in two cannot stand.' Likewise, our state, and I am convinced of this, will not be able to constantly be half slave-owning, half free.” Abraham Lincoln. Springfield, Illinois (June 17, 1858)

He was born in Kentucky into a poor family. Abraham's life was difficult and difficult; due to frequent moves, the boy often missed school, but, on the other hand, he diligently engaged in self-education and loved to read books. In 1830, the Lincolns moved to Illinois, where young Abraham ran for election to the state House of Representatives. He failed to win the hearts of Illinois voters the first time. However, subsequent attempts were successful, and Abraham Lincoln first won a seat in the state house, and then was even elected as a member of the Whig Party to the US Congress.

In 1856 he joined the newly created Republican Party. The Republicans dreamed of ending the spread of slavery, they sought to support the industry of the United States, and therefore contributed in every possible way to the introduction of high tariffs. An important part of their program was the creation of a law to distribute free land to settlers, which would help open the West to the country.

Lincoln becomes president

In 1860, the time came for the next presidential election. Lincoln was introduced as the Republican candidate. It was at this time that a split occurred in the pro-slavery Democratic Party, which contributed to the success of the fledgling Republicans.

Lincoln managed to defeat three of his opponents. His stay in the White House from March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865 coincided with the most tragic period in US history - the Civil War. More than 600,000 people died during this war (360,000 on the Union side, 260,000 in the South).

The slaveholding states responded to the election of Abraham Lincoln with secession - secession from the Union and the proclamation of the Confederate States of America in February 1861. Almost all the steps taken during Lincoln's first presidency were related to the Civil War.

The issue of increasing customs tariffs was resolved. The US Congress passed the Morrill Tariff Act. This law doubled the customs rates of 1857 to almost 47% of the value of imported products. This decision made reconciliation with the South practically impossible.

The new Republican president championed an active government role in stimulating economic development. It is important to note that he assigned the main role in economic development to the energy of small entrepreneurs, and not large capitalists. Lincoln was a sharp critic of the power of the economic elite.

“These capitalists usually act in concert and amicably, setting themselves the goal of robbing the people.”

Abraham Lincoln was against the spread of slavery to new territories, which undermined the foundations of slavery, because its extensive nature inevitably required expansion into the undeveloped lands of the West.

An important achievement of the Lincoln administration was the adoption in May 1862 of the Homestead Act, which provided for the possibility of each citizen acquiring a plot of land of 160 acres (64 hectares) for a nominal fee. The law dealt a severe blow to slavery. The Homestead Act stimulated a radical solution to the agrarian problem - the development of agriculture along the farm route.

Beginning of the Civil War

The Republican victory in the presidential election rallied the southern states in the fight against anti-slavery forces. South Carolina passed the Ordinance of Secession on December 20, 1860. Other Southern states (Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) supported secession, forming the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861.

Lincoln remained silent, and in the meantime the seceding states captured almost all the federal forts, arsenals, post offices and customs houses within their territories. In his 1861 inaugural address, Lincoln chose persuasion, assuring the people of the Southern states that they had nothing to fear from a Republican administration.

However, the southerners remained deaf to this statement and on April 12, 1861, fired at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor (South Carolina), where a garrison of federal troops remained. Thus began the bloodiest war in American history.

The outbreak of hostilities strengthened the secession movement. Virginia, which Lincoln hoped would remain loyal to the Union, seceded on April 17, followed within two months by Arkansas and Tennessee.

Governing the country during the Civil War became a heavy burden for the president. The range of his responsibilities was extremely wide - he developed military strategy, was responsible for recruiting hundreds of thousands of soldiers into the army, and entered into fierce disputes with Congress over the liberation of blacks and changes in domestic policy.

As events unfolded, Abraham Lincoln's rather moderate, compromise position on the issue of slavery changed. The administration's main goal - the restoration of the Union - turned out to be unattainable without the abolition of slavery throughout the country.

The President realized that “slavery must die that the nation may live.”

Lincoln issues preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. It proclaimed that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves in the rebellious states would become free. Politically, the Proclamation meant that the purpose of the war with the South was not only to preserve the union, but also to abolish slavery, and also led to the passage of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the country.

President for the second time

In 1864, Lincoln won the race for the presidency for the second time, receiving 400 thousand more votes than his Democratic rival, General J. McClellan.

The President was convinced that the emancipation of slaves should be legally enshrined. At his insistence, on January 31, 1865, Congress adopted the XIIIth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited slavery in the United States and came into force after its ratification by the states in December of the same year. One day he said: " When I hear someone speak out in defense of slavery, I have a strong desire to see how he would feel in the place of a slave.”

At the beginning of 1865, the imminent victory of the northerners was no longer in doubt. On the agenda were the problems of restoring the 11 seceded states as full-fledged subjects of the federation. Lincoln, back in December 1863, promised amnesty to all rebels subject to recognition of the abolition of slavery.

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address ended with the words: "Harmless to none, full of charity, firm in truth," Americans must "bind up the country's wounds... do all within their power to win and maintain a just and lasting peace in their home and with all the nations of the world." ".

Political assassination– political murder

On the occasion of the surrender of the Confederates, a public celebration took place in Washington. The next day, April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln's family went to Ford's Theater for a play. There, in the presidential box, an attempt was made on the president's life. The assassin who mortally wounded Lincoln was the fanatical supporter of the southerners, the actor John Wilkes Booth; he managed to jump out of the box, run to the stage and escape. A few days later, Booth was tracked down in Virginia and killed in a shootout.

The next morning, without regaining consciousness, the president died. Millions of Americans, white and black, came to pay their last respects to their president during the two-and-a-half week funeral train journey from Washington to Springfield, where Lincoln was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

The poet James Russell Lowell dedicated the following words to this tragic event: “Never before have so many people mourned the death of someone whom they did not even know by sight. It was as if on that terrible April morning they had lost a close friend, without whom their life became cold and gloomy. More eloquent than any funeral speeches were those looks that silently exchanged strangers on the streets. Compassion for each other shone in their eyes - after all, the human race was orphaned."