ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Abraham Lincoln

(02.12.1809 - 04.15.1865)

16th President of the United States (1861-1865)

"To desire immortality is to desire the perpetuation of a great mistake"

Abraham Lincoln

He was born on February 12, 1809 in a log cabin near Hodgenville (Kentucky) within a family of settlers who later settled in Indiana.

In 1831 he moved to Louisiana, to return some time later to Illinois and settled in New Salem, where he began work on the construction of a railway line and a store. He also worked as a lumberjack and fought the Indians. In 1833 he was appointed postmaster, but continued to conduct surveys and performing other jobs. Simultaneously began his law studies.

Illinois is elected by the Whig Party in 1834, and held a seat until 1841. In 1836 he began to practice law and recognition soon came. Despite being born in a slave state, was opposed to slavery and in 1837 was one of the two members of the lower house of the state who signed a protest against it. Elected to the federal Congress in 1846, noted for his outspoken criticism of the war with Mexico and the formulation of a plan for the gradual emancipation of Columbia federal district. In 1849 he returned to Springfield, but in 1854, due to its amazement Kansas-Nebraska Act (for the introduction of slavery in the northwest) of Senator Stephen A. Douglas, decided to return to politics.

Demonstrating clear opposition to the cancellation of the Missouri Compromise, argued that it was the wrong measure because slavery was unjust in itself. A year later, he decided to be a candidate for the U.S. Senate, but seeing that he could not win, supported Lyman Trumbull, a Democrat who also opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

In 1856 he entered the newly formed Republican Party, and in 1858 was again a candidate for the Senate against Douglas. Then began a series of debates between Lincoln and Douglas on the issue, and despite eventually losing elections, debate earned him nationwide recognition. In 1860 he was nominated Republican candidate for president, beginning a campaign to slavery restriction, internal improvements and tariff reform, taking on the Democrats electoral rivals Douglas and John Breckinridge, and John Bell, the Constitutional Union Party, Lincoln won a majority and was elected president.

Following his election, South Carolina and six other southern states, initiated the first steps to secede from the Union. After failing several attempts at compromise, in February 1861, the government was established south of the Confederate States of America. The March 4, 1861 was sworn in, at which he faced a hostile confederation, determined to expand and that threatened federal forts in the South, the most important of which was Fort Sumter, South Carolina. He has helped the besieged garrison and this was the spark that marked the start of the American Civil War. When recruited 75,000 volunteers, the North responded enthusiastically, but the rest of the Southern states joined the secessionists.

When Irving McDowell was defeated in the first battle of Bull Run, the President chose as commander George McClellan, who in turn was replaced by John Pope. When he was defeated in the second battle of Bull Run, the President resorted once again to McClellan, despite his victory in the Battle of Antietam (Maryland) General end hesitated while Lincoln had to remove him. His successor, Ambrose Burnside, was defeated at Fredericksburg (Virginia), so it had to relinquish command to Joseph Hooker, who in turn was defeated at Chancellorsville (Virginia). He appointed George Meade, who won a victory at Gettysburg (Pennsylvania), but could not continue on the same line.

Stressing his determination to find a general who could defeat the Confederacy in 1864 handed over command of the Army General Ulysses S. Grant, who thanks to his victories at Fort Donelson (Tennessee), Vicksburg (Mississippi) and Chattanooga (Tennessee) could successfully end the war.

In 1861 began a cautious antislavery program, using two Forfeiture laws (for the liberation of slaves used by the Confederate military purposes) and abolished slavery in the federal district of Columbia. The process culminated in July 1862 when told his cabinet that he thought dictate the Emancipation Proclamation, was careful to smooth the implementation of the same in the border states that were excluded. The proclamation came the January 1, 1863.

Promulgated by the President in his capacity as commander in chief in times of armed rebellion, freed slaves from regions dominated by insurgents and authorized the creation of black military units. In 1864 recommended the adoption of an antislavery amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The amendment was passed after Lincoln's reelection, when he made use of all the powers of his office to ensure that approved in the House of Representatives (January 31, 1865). He tried to maintain harmony between the disparate elements of his party by giving them representation in his cabinet.

Recognizing publicly to former members of the Whig Party to nominate William Seward Secretary of State (Foreign Minister), and Attorney General Bates, also extended their invitations to former Democrats. In 1864 some disgruntled Republicans tried to prevent his re-nomination, despite which he managed to get the approval of his party in Baltimore (Maryland) although some extremists nominated John Fremont.

Annoyed with his Proclamation of Amnesty (December 1863), which called for the restoration of the insurgent states if 10% of voters swore loyalty, Congress passed in July 1864 Wade-Davis Act establishing harsher conditions and demanded acceptance 50% of voters. When he refused to sign the law, had to face some radical attacks.

In November 1864, was re-elected president of the United States. Few time later announced his support for the limited right of suffrage for blacks in Louisiana. Given the possibility that blacks acquire the right to vote, John Wilkes Boeth, a famous actor, shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington on April 14, 1865.

He died the next day at seven o'clock. It was the first U.S. president assassinated. Suffering Thousands lined up along the tracks while the funeral train carrying him from Washington to his final rest in Springfield, Illinois.

Charges

President of the United States

March 4, 1861 - April 15 to 18651

Member of the House of Representatives for the 7th district in Illinois

March 4, 1847 - March 3, 1849