Abraham Lincoln For The Presidency example essay topic

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the U. S (1861-1865) who brought the Union to victory in the Civil War. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Kentucky. His father was Thomas Lincoln and his mother was Nancy Hanks, both were pioneer farmers. When Abraham Lincoln was two they moved to nearby Knob Creek, Indiana.

The following year his mother died. In 1819 Abraham Lincoln's father married Sarah Bush Johnston, a kind widow who gained Abraham Lincoln's friendship. Abraham Lincoln grew up to be a tall, gangling boy who could handle himself. He also showed intellectual promises, even though he had little formal education. In 1831 he moved again to Macon County, Illinois and finally he got a job on a cargo ship sailing down the Mississippi to New Orleans. He then returned to Illinois to settle in New Salem on the Sangamon River, were he became a clerk at a local store.

In 1832 he became Captain of a company going to fight in the Black Hawk War. When the war ended he came home and he tried to open a store but that ended in a failure when his partner died. In 1833 he was appointed postmaster. But he also had to take up surveying to support himself. In time he was able to pay off his debts and began to study law. In 1834 Lincoln was elected on the Wing ticket to serve in the Lower House until 1841.

He emerged as a party leader, so he moved to Springfield the capital of Illinois. At this time he also became a very popular attorney with a partnership of 3 other men. In 1842 he married Mary Todd, the daughter of a Kentucky banker. They had 4 children but only one made it to adulthood.

In 1846 he was elected to the Congress based on his criticism of the Mexican War and his plan for no slavery in the District of Columbia. In 1849 he returned home to Springfield to peruse his profession. But in 1854 he became alarmed at Stephen Douglas's Kansas-Nebraska Act, so he again became politically active. This clearly told Lincoln's views, he favored the Missouri Compromise, which stated that no more new territory's, could have slaves in them. In 1858 with the newly found Republican Party he ran against Douglas. He met Douglas in a series of debates that were nationally recognized.

But he lost the election to Douglas. In 1860 the Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency. The Democrats were split, they had two candidates Douglas and Brink ridge because of this Lincoln was able to easily win the Presidency. Immediately after the election 6 southern states succeeded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. When Lincoln took office in 1861 five southern states were still neutral, but when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston the Union called for volunteers.

When Lincoln did this the other 5 southern states joined the Confederacy. In 1861 Lincoln was under great pressure to find a General who could win against the Confederacy. He chose George Mcclellan but he was defeated several times in Virginia. The Confederacy began to win the war. In 1862 he turned to John Pope to win the war but he to fell short even though he held a victory over the Confederates at Antietam but failed to give chase when the Confederates were trapped. Lincoln then appointed General George Meade in 1863 who defeated the Confederates at Gettysburg.

But he too failed to give chase when the Confederates were retreating. In 1863 he also made a promise to eliminate slavery forever. Finally in 1864 Ulysses S. Grant was placed in charge of the Union Army of the East and General Sherman was put in charge of the Western front. These two generals finally brought the Civil War to a close.

Lincoln in the meantime was re-elected for another 4 years. Lincoln was preparing to deal with reconstruction of the south when he was assassinated by John Wilks Booth at the Fords theatre in Washington D. C; the President died on April 15, 1865 at the age of 56.