Abraham Lincoln: The Civil War President (Complete Bio)

Summary

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is renowned for his leadership during the Civil War and his pivotal role in abolishing slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation. Born in humble beginnings, Lincoln's rise from a log cabin to the presidency is a testament to his resilience and intellect. His famous 'Gettysburg Address' and the 13th Amendment further cemented his legacy as a champion of equality and unity. Tragically assassinated, Lincoln's enduring impact is commemorated in American currency and memorials, including Mount Rushmore.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Abraham Lincoln is renowned for his quote 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people' and is considered one of the greatest U.S. Presidents.
• 🔨 Lincoln's early life was marked by hardship, including the death of his mother and working on a farm with his father.
• 📚 He was largely self-taught, with a strong interest in reading and learning, which was supported by his stepmother Sarah Bush Johnston.
• 🛠 Lincoln held various jobs, including railsplitter, flatboatmen, storekeeper, postman, and surveyor, before entering politics.
• 🏙️ As a politician, Lincoln was dedicated to infrastructure development and was an early opponent of slavery, envisioning a more commercial and urbanized United States.
• 🎓 He taught himself law and became a successful lawyer before being drawn back into politics during the crisis of the Northern and Southern states over slavery.
• 🗳️ Lincoln's presidential campaign was marked by his stance against slavery and his famous 'house divided' speech, which contributed to his election as the 16th President.
• ⚔️ The American Civil War began during Lincoln's presidency, with several states seceding to form the Confederacy, leading to a divided nation.
• 📜 Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was a pivotal moment, declaring freedom for slaves in the Confederate states and allowing former slaves to join the Union army.
• 🏆 Despite facing a tough re-election, Lincoln was re-elected due to Union military victories and his leadership in moving towards the end of the war.
• ✍️ The Gettysburg Address is one of Lincoln's most famous speeches, emphasizing the purpose of the war and the pursuit of human equality.

Q & A

Who are the most recognizable words in the transcript attributed to, and what is their significance?

The words are attributed to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. They signify the democratic ideal of a government that is ruled by the people and for the benefit of the people.

What significant role did Abraham Lincoln play during the Civil War that contributed to his legacy?

Abraham Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War was instrumental in preserving the Union and abolishing slavery, which led to him being recognized as one of the greatest presidents in American history.

What title did Abraham Lincoln earn due to his role in ending slavery?

Abraham Lincoln earned the title 'The Great Emancipator' due to his role in freeing the slaves and his efforts to abolish slavery in the United States.

Where was Abraham Lincoln born and what were the circumstances of his early life?

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in rural Kentucky to Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. His family moved to southern Indiana when he was very young, where they initially lived in a temporary shelter before building a more suitable log cabin.

How did Abraham Lincoln's relationship with his father evolve after his mother's death?

After his mother's death, Lincoln grew further apart from his father, Thomas Lincoln, and resented the hard work that was required of him on the farm.

What impact did Sarah Bush Johnston have on Abraham Lincoln's life?

Sarah Bush Johnston, Lincoln's stepmother, provided him with love, encouragement, and support. She recognized his potential and helped fuel his intellect and love for reading, forming a strong bond with him.

What was Abraham Lincoln's educational background like before he became a lawyer?

Abraham Lincoln did not receive much formal schooling. Most of his education was self-taught, and he was an avid reader, devouring as many books as he could. He later taught himself law and passed the bar examination in 1836.

How did Abraham Lincoln's political career begin?

Lincoln's political career began when he was elected as a member of the Whig Party to the Illinois state legislature. He was devoted to constructing an extensive network of railroads, highways, and canals.

What was the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation in Lincoln's presidency?

The Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for all slaves in the rebellious states and was a significant step towards ending slavery in the United States. It also allowed thousands of former slaves to join the Union army.

What was the turning point of the Civil War that led to the Union's favor?

The Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania was a key turning point of the Civil War. The Union's victory there ended the Confederacy's attempts to invade the North and turned the tide of the war in the Union's favor.

How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the United States?

Lincoln's assassination was a shock to the nation. It left the country without a leader who was needed to reunite and rebuild it after the Civil War. His death also marked the end of his efforts to heal the nation and move towards a more equal society.

Outlines

00:00

🏚 Early Life and Struggles of Abraham Lincoln

This paragraph introduces Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, highlighting his famous quote and his legacy as a great leader. It details his humble beginnings in a log cabin, his family life, the tragic death of his mother, and his stepmother's positive influence. Lincoln's early years were marked by hard work on the farm and limited formal education, but he was largely self-taught, reading voraciously. His physical growth and his move to Illinois with his family set the stage for his future endeavors.

05:02

🔨 Lincoln's Diverse Careers and Entry into Politics

The second paragraph delves into Lincoln's various occupations, including his work as a railsplitter, flatboatmen, and his time in New Salem where he held positions such as a storekeeper, postman, and surveyor. It discusses his leadership during the Black Hawk War, his entry into politics as a member of the Whig Party, and his dedication to infrastructure projects. Lincoln's self-education in law, his move to Springfield, and his marriage to Mary Todd are also highlighted, along with the challenges of his political career and personal life, including the death of his son Edward.

10:03

🗳 Lincoln's Rise to Presidency and the Onset of the Civil War

This paragraph outlines Lincoln's return to national politics amid the economic and social divides between the North and South, focusing on the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the formation of the Republican Party. It describes Lincoln's denouncement of slavery, his run for the US Senate against Stephen A. Douglas, and his famous 'house divided' speech. The narrative culminates with Lincoln's election as the 16th President of the United States, the secession of Southern states, and the beginning of the American Civil War, setting the stage for the challenges he faced in leading a divided nation.

🛡 Lincoln's Leadership During the Civil War

The fourth paragraph examines Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War, detailing the military and political strategies he employed to keep the nation united. It discusses the formation of the Union and the Confederacy, the crucial battles such as Antietam and Gettysburg, and the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The paragraph also touches on Lincoln's personal grief with the loss of his son William and his efforts to maintain morale and strategic advantage during the war.

🏆 Lincoln's Legacy: Emancipation and Assassination

The final paragraph summarizes Lincoln's lasting impact on the United States, from his Emancipation Proclamation to the passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery nationwide. It recounts his re-election, the Union's military successes, and his vision for a united and reconstructed nation without malice. The paragraph concludes with the tragic assassination of Lincoln at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth, and the enduring legacy he left behind, including memorials and his depiction on currency.

Keywords

💡Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, known for his leadership during the Civil War and his role in the abolition of slavery. His words 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people' encapsulate his democratic ideals. The video script highlights his journey from a humble log cabin upbringing to becoming one of the most revered figures in American history.

💡Civil War

The American Civil War was a conflict fought between 1861 and 1865 over issues of state's rights and slavery. The war is a central theme in the video, illustrating Lincoln's leadership and the pivotal role he played in preserving the Union and ultimately ending slavery. The script mentions key battles such as Antietam and Gettysburg, which were turning points in the war.

💡Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by Lincoln in 1862, declaring freedom for slaves in the Confederate states. It is a key concept in the script, symbolizing a major step towards the abolition of slavery. The proclamation is highlighted as a turning point that allowed thousands of former slaves to join the Union army.

💡13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the United States, is a critical concept in the script. It was proposed by Lincoln and passed in January 1865, solidifying the legal end to slavery in the country.

💡Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address was a speech delivered by Lincoln in 1863, during the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg. The script describes it as a brief but powerful expression of the war's purpose and the pursuit of human equality, making it one of the most quoted speeches in history.

💡Whig Party

The Whig Party was one of the two major political parties in the United States during the early to mid-19th century. The script mentions Lincoln's initial affiliation with the party before it faded away, leading to the formation of the Republican Party, which Lincoln joined.

💡Republican Party

The Republican Party emerged in the mid-19th century as a response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the issue of slavery. The script details Lincoln's affiliation with the party, his run for the U.S. Senate, and his eventual nomination as the party's presidential candidate in 1860.

💡Secession

Secession refers to the act of a state withdrawing from the federation, as seen with the Southern states prior to the Civil War. The script describes how several states seceded from the U.S., forming the Confederate States of America, which was a direct challenge to Lincoln's presidency and a catalyst for the Civil War.

💡Confederacy

The Confederacy, or the Confederate States of America, was the group of 11 Southern states that seceded from the U.S. and fought against the Union during the Civil War. The script outlines the formation of the Confederacy and its role as the opposing force to Lincoln's Union.

💡Reconstruction

Reconstruction refers to the period after the Civil War when the U.S. aimed to rebuild and reintegrate the Southern states back into the Union. The script mentions Lincoln's vision for a peaceful reconstruction without hatred, emphasizing his commitment to unity and reconciliation.

💡Assassination

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln is a tragic event highlighted in the script. Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre, an event that shocked the nation and cut short the life of a president who had just led the country through a devastating war.

Highlights

Abraham Lincoln's famous quote 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people'

Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War and recognition as one of the greatest US presidents

His role as The Great Emancipator in freeing the slaves and abolishing slavery in the US

Lincoln's humble beginnings, born in a log cabin in rural Kentucky

Tragic loss of Lincoln's mother Nancy to milk sickness when he was 9 years old

The positive influence of Lincoln's stepmother Sarah Bush Johnston on his education and intellect

Lincoln's various occupations before entering politics, including railsplitter, flatboatmen, storekeeper, postman, and surveyor

Lincoln's political career starting with the Whig Party and Illinois state legislature

His opposition to slavery and vision for expanding commerce and cities in the US

Lincoln's self-taught legal education and successful law practice in Springfield, Illinois

Marriage to Mary Todd and their four children - Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas (Tad)

Lincoln's election as a US Congressman and decision not to seek re-election

The economic differences between the Northern and Southern US leading to the Civil War

Lincoln's presidential campaign and election as the 16th US President

The formation of the Confederate States of America and the start of the Civil War

Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War, learning tactics and choosing generals wisely

The tragic death of Lincoln's son William at age 11 during the war

Key Union victories at Antietam, Vicksburg, and Gettysburg turning the tide of the war

Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address expressing the war's purpose and human equality

Lincoln's re-election in 1864 and his second inaugural address on rebuilding the Union

The passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in the entire US

The assassination of President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth

Lincoln's enduring legacy, with his face on US currency and numerous memorials

Transcripts

“Government of the people, by  the people, for the people”,  

are among the most recognizable words of any  US Politician.

They belong to Abraham Lincoln,

the 16th President of the United States of  America.

Lincoln's remarkable leadership during the Civil War led him to become

one of the greatest presidents in American history.

His role in freeing the slaves won him  the recognition as The Great Emancipator  

and paved the way to forever abolish slavery in the United States.

His dramatic and untimely death left Americans in shock,

leaving behind a presidential legacy that will never be forgotten.

Abraham Lincoln was born in a  log cabin in rural Kentucky,  

to Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln.

He had an older sister, Sarah and a younger brother named Thomas Jr.

who died in infancy soon after being born.

While Abraham Lincoln was still very  young, his family moved to southern Indiana.

Due to a harsh winter, they spent their first  year in a temporary shelter.

The next year, the Lincolns were able to build a more suitable log cabin for their family.

Together, Abraham Lincoln and his dad, built a farm for their family.

The young Lincoln would help clear the fields and took care of crops,

but disliked hunting and fishing.

Sadly, when Lincoln was 9, his mom,  suddenly fell ill from milk sickness

and died shortly after, leaving behind a devastated Lincoln.

With his mother gone, Lincoln grew further apart from his dad

and quietly resented all the hard work that his dad required him to do.

The following year after Nancy’s death, Thomas Lincoln married Sarah Bush Johnston,

a widow with 3 children of her own that he had known while living in Kentucky.

Sarah was a tremendous help to the grieving Lincoln.

She saw potential in Abraham Lincoln at such a young age,

and fueled his reading and intellect.

Lincoln and his new step-mom quickly formed a strong bond.

Sarah provided Lincoln with love and encouragement,

and Lincoln soon started calling her “Mother”.

As he grew older, Lincoln continued to  help his father on the farm

and gained a reputation for his exceptional skills with an axe.

Lincoln didn’t receive very much schooling,

and most of what he learned was self-taught

while he devoured as many books as he could.

By the age of 21, Lincoln had grown up to be a very tall man

- 6ft 4 inches tall.

He had a whole life waiting ahead of him, and the Lincolns moved to Illinois.

Here, Lincoln, with absolutely no desire to be a farmer, tried various occupations.

He went from railsplitter, helping to clear and fence his father’s new farm,

to becoming a flatboatmen, where he made a voyage down the Mississippi river to New Orleans.

But upon his return to Illinois, Lincoln settled in a small village, known as New Salem,

where he worked different jobs from time to time,

he explored occupations as a  storekeeper, postman, and surveyor.

When the Black Hawk War, a brief conflict  between the US and native americans, broke out,

volunteers in the area elected Lincoln to be their leader.

Lincoln saw no combat during this time, but made important political connections.

Soon, Lincoln began his career in  politics when he was elected

as a member of the Whig Party to the Illinois state legislature.

During this time, Lincoln devoted himself to a huge project for constructing

an extensive network of railroads, highways and canals.

Even from this early in his political career, Lincoln opposed slavery

and had a vision of expanding the United States’ commerce and cities, rather than agriculture.

During his terms serving with the Illinois  state legislature, Lincoln taught himself law,

and after passing the bar examination  in 1836, he began working as a lawyer.

Soon he moved to Springfield, Illinois- the new state capital- which offered more opportunities.

There, he served clients ranging from  individual residents to national railroad lines.

A few years later, he met Mary  Todd, a well-educated woman, and the two were soon married.

They went on to have 4 children together, Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas,

whom Abraham Lincoln nicknamed Tad.

Lincoln ran for congressman for the United States, and won the election.

He served one term, and decided not to seek reelection.

He then returned to Springfield to continue practicing law,

where success in court cases started bringing him more and more clients,

including banks, insurance companies, manufacturing firms and even a few criminal trials.

Sadly, Lincoln’s son, Edward, passed away shortly before his 4th birthday and only months before William was born.

For the next couple of years, Lincoln  barely took part in politics.

Then, when a new crisis, splitting up  the Northern and Southern US,  came up,

Lincoln was pushed  back into national politics.

At this point in time, between 1815 and 1861, there were many economic differences in the US.

The Northern States were rapidly modernizing, and although they still relied on some agriculture,

manufacturing and other industries were well established.

In contrast, the economy of the Southern States was mainly based on large plantations or farms that depended on slaves for labor.

The North did not approve of  having slaves.

The north and south also disagreed over state’s rights

and whether or not slavery  would be allowed in the new western states.

In 1854, the US Congress  passed the Kansas-Nebraska act,

stating that settlers in Kansas and Nebraska would decide for themselves whether to allow slaves in their states.

Violence soon broke out between anti-slavery and pro-slavery supporters as what is today known as Bleeding Kansas.

Opposition to the act in the North caused the Republican party to form and the Whig Party to fade away.

The new act enraged Lincoln, and so he went before a large crowd of people denouncing slavery

and calling it a violation of the most basic principles from the Declaration of Independence.

Joining the Republican Party, he tried running for the US Senate and challenged sitting senator Stephen A. Douglas,

and while he wasn’t elected, he gained national recognition for his views against slavery.

In 1858, after he accepted the nomination for state senator for the Illinois Republican Party,

Lincoln delivered his famous “house divided” speech.

Soon, people were mentioning Lincoln as a  presidential prospect for the 1860 election.

In May of 1860, Republicans chose Lincoln as their presidential candidate,

so he set aside his law practice and started focusing on his campaign.

That November at the presidential election, Lincoln once again faced Douglas,

but with support from the northern states, he was able to win the White House and become the 16th president of the United States.  

It was a difficult time in the US and  Lincoln was facing a divided nation.  

Upon his election, many of the Southern States believed Lincoln was against slavery

and in favor of the interests of the Northern States, so they felt their cause was never going to be heard.

Even before Lincoln’s presidential inauguration, South Carolina became the first slave state to secede from the US.

Six additional states followed: (Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas).

And together with South Carolina, they formed the Confederate States of America- commonly referred to as the Confederacy.

As soon as Lincoln took office in March,  the Confederacy threatened the federal-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

Lincoln ordered a fleet to resupply the fort, but the Confederates started firing.

It was 1861, and the American Civil War had started.

Lincoln was off to a bad start.

Lincoln called on state governors for troops, but 4 more southern states took sides,

seceded from the US and joined the Confederacy. (Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee).

Lincoln soon proclaimed the blockade of the Southern Ports.

During the American Civil War, the United States was divided between the Union and the Confederacy.

The Union, commonly referred to as the  North,

was the federal government with president Lincoln as their commander in chief and included 20 free states

and 5 border states. (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri, and after 1863, the new state of West Virginia).

The Confederacy was made up of 11 slave states, all of which seceded from the United States and had Jefferson Davis as their president.

The free states prohibited slavery,  while slave states allowed slavery.  

The border states were states that allowed  slavery but that did not leave the Union.

The country was in crisis, but Lincoln was  determined to keep the country together.

Jefferson Davis, was a man who knew the military.

Being a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, a hero of the Mexican-American War,

and secretary of war, he was an experienced war-time leader.

And then there was Lincoln, who’ve had only one experience in a war,

that being the Black Hawk War, where he saw absolutely no action.

Despite this, Lincoln proved to be a capable leader during the war.

He quickly learned successful tactics and strategies and took control of the war choosing his generals wisely.

Sadly on top of everything that Lincoln  had been dealing with during the civil war,  

his beloved son, William, died at the age of 11.

His death cast a dark shadow over the Lincolns, and Abraham Lincoln never fully recovered from losing another one of his sons.

After several Union losses, Confederate General Robert E. Lee led an attempt to invade the North.

And so came the battle of Antietam  in 1862, the bloodiest single-day battle in American history

and one of the key turning points of the Civil War.

The Union’s victory gave Lincoln the perfect time to announce the Emancipation Proclamation,

which declared freedom for all slaves in the rebellious states.

Thousands of former slaves soon went on to join the Union army.

Two important Union victories at Vicksburg, Mississippi

and at the Battle of Gettysburg  in Pennsylvania, followed in July 1863.

The Battle of Gettysburg once again ended the Confederacy's attempts of invading the north

and left them in a defensive position, turning the tide of the war in the Union’s favor.

This victory led Lincoln to deliver  The Gettysburg Address.

The speech, though brief but effective, expressed the war’s purpose and the pursuit of human equality.

The Gettysburg Address became Lincoln’s most famous speech and one of the most quoted speeches in history.

The time came in 1864, when Lincoln faced a tough re-election.

But Union victories in battle, especially the capture of Atlanta by general William T. Sherman

and his famous “March to the Sea”, swung many votes in Lincoln’s favor and he was re-elected.

As Union military triumphs indicated that an end to the war was near,

Lincoln encouraged Southerners to stop fighting and join him in reuniting the country.

In his second inaugural address, Lincoln  expressed the need to reconstruct the South and rebuild the Union,

without hatred and instead offering help to those who needed it.

Since Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation  Proclamation freed only those slaves held in the Confederate States,

Lincoln submitted a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would abolish slavery for the entire United States.

That amendment became the 13th amendment and was passed in January, 1865.

Finally, after 4 years of continuous fighting, confederate General Robert E. Lee

surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865,

and the American Civil War finally ended that year.

A couple nights later, Lincoln and his wife  were watching a play at the Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.,

where a tragic fate awaited him.

During the play, actor and confederate sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth,

slipped into the president’s box and shot Lincoln straight in the back of his head.

President Lincoln was carried to a  boarding house across the street, but it was too late.

Abraham Lincoln died a few  hours later, on the morning of April 15, 1865.

Abraham Lincoln was killed at a time  when he was needed to complete   

the difficult task of reuniting his  country after ending the war.  

Lincoln’s incredible impact on the nation  left the US with an enduring legacy.  

Lincoln’s face is featured on pennies and five dollar bills.

He’s had many important memorials built in his honor,

including the famous Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Abraham Lincoln's inspiring and effective leadership throughout the Civil War and as the 16th President of the United States

forever earned him a place in history.