Friday, February 12, 2010

President Lincoln's Birthday

Abraham Lincoln

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

16th President of the United States
In office March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865
Vice President Hannibal Hamlin (1861–1865)

Born February 12, 1809(1809-02-12)
Hardin County, Kentucky
Died April 15, 1865 (aged 56)
Washington, D.C.
Resting place Oak Ridge Cemetery
Springfield, Illinois
Nationality - American
Political party - Whig (1832–1854), Republican (1854–1864), National Union (1864–1865)
Spouse(s) - Mary Todd Lincoln
Children - Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Lincoln, Willie Lincoln, Tad Lincoln
Occupation - Lawyer
Religion - See: Abraham Lincoln and religion

Military service
Service/branch - Illinois Militia
Years of service - 1832
Battles/wars - Black Hawk War

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery. Before his election in 1860 as the first Republican president, Lincoln had been a country lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, a member of the United States House of Representatives, and twice an unsuccessful candidate for election to the U.S. Senate. As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery in the United States, Lincoln won the Republican Party nomination in 1860 and was elected president later that year. His tenure in office was occupied primarily with the defeat of the secessionist Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. He introduced measures that resulted in the abolition of slavery, issuing his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Six days after the large-scale surrender of Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee, Lincoln became the first American president to be assassinated.

Lincoln had closely supervised the victorious war effort, especially the selection of top generals, including Ulysses S. Grant. Historians have concluded that he handled the factions of the Republican Party well, bringing leaders of each faction into his cabinet and forcing them to cooperate. Lincoln successfully defused the Trent affair, a war scare with Britain late in 1861. Under his leadership, the Union took control of the border slave states at the start of the war. Additionally, he managed his own reelection in the 1864 presidential election.

Copperheads and other opponents of the war criticized Lincoln for refusing to compromise on the slavery issue. Conversely, the Radical Republicans, an abolitionist faction of the Republican Party, criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery. Even with these opponents, Lincoln successfully rallied public opinion through his rhetoric and speeches; his Gettysburg Address (1863) became an iconic symbol of the nation's duty. At the close of the war, Lincoln held a moderate view of Reconstruction, seeking to speedily reunite the nation through a policy of generous reconciliation. Lincoln has consistently been ranked by scholars as one of the greatest of all U.S. Presidents.

There was a lot more to the article, but I didn't copy and post it all. I can remember when I was in grade school, we use to celebrate Lincoln's birthday on his birthday and Washington's on his own day. Now they combine it and it's celebrated as President's Day, this year it's Feb. 15th.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I celebrate my birthday in October but lots of people, over the years, have said they thought my birthday was the same as President Lincoln's birthday.

Arkansas Patti said...

And you married his relative. Very interesting. He was truly a great man.

Beth Niquette said...

I love President Lincoln. I even have a little book of his wise sayings.

Dad told me in the hospital again (I'd heard this for years), that we are "shirt-tail" relatives to President Lincoln. I don't know what he means by that--and he was too sick at the time to ask details. But I thought that was cool.

So...HAPPY BIRTHDAY President Lincoln!

I wonder what he would think of all the hooplah surrounding his birth...He was an honest, wise and God-fearing man who thought deeply and prayed much.

Urmi said...

Very nice and informative post. Nice to know about Abraham Lincoln in detail. Very well written. I gained good knowledge through your post. Thanks.

Clytie said...

I have also admired President Lincoln, and enjoyed revisiting the history of his life and legacy.

Renie Burghardt said...

He was a great man! Happy Birthday, President Lincoln!

Merle said...

Dear Patty ~~ I so enjoyed reading about President Lincoln and my first husband's birthday was Feb 15th too.
We were married on 14th Valentine's Day.
I am so glad your knee is feeling better and hope it stays that way for a long time. I am hoping the extra tablet will help my heart
bounce back when the fluid has been removed. I did know about low salt but Dr.didn't mention it. Didn't even say to put my feet up.
But I do some of the time.
Take great care, my friend, with
Love, Merle.

Margaret Cloud said...

This is very good, I have a book about his life. He truly was a great man and President. Thanks for the information, have a nice weekend.

Cheryl said...

So very informative. I have always admired President Lincoln. And to be related to him...wow!