Abraham Lincoln Biography

This is the first of many post in of the Civil War on my blog. I will be providing a biography of this great man Abraham Lincoln. Then I will give my opinion and also use quotations from the biography to express how he exactly affected the Civil War. Here is a biography on Abraham Lincoln.
As most people know Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky and his famous nickname Great Abe. Lincoln got his start in politics by first studying law. After self educating himself, he became a Whig. A Whig is part of the Whig Party, was political party back in the early to mid 1800s. It was a mostly made up of republicans. Which eventually became the Republican Party today. Lincoln was inexperienced and as a result lost to Stephen Davis of the Democrats. But is his high position in the party in Illinois result in a election to the house of representatives. From there Lincoln started to build his political prowess and gain supporters. He switched to the Republican Party only a few years before the Civil war. He got nominated for President and won. Lincoln is one of the most interesting Presidents, he had one of the hardest situations in arguably the worst war in American history. To most Americans surprise the Civil war was actually brewing for many years before any thing actually happened. So the war wasn't totally Lincolns fault. Here is another way of putting it. In Baseball, the first pitcher in a game leaves two runners on base then another pitcher comes in the 7th inning. If the two runners score on the second pitcher it counts against the first pitcher. It's not the second pitchers fault that those runners got on base even though they score on him. So this Lincoln's situation. As result of passed presidents and there conservative actions and not involved actions it left the US in a state of Civil unrest. Lincoln had a strong believe that slavery was wrong. As he did write the Emancipation Proclamation (Sep 1862) which pretty much said:
"I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." ... My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views. I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free." (Encyclopedia)
He wanted to free slaves, but Lincoln want to do in a way that would preserve the union. Lincoln emphases "Preserve the Union" through out his Presidency. That must have been his slogan. Obviously the Union did brake but fortunately he manage to force it back together. Lincoln is the most famous President to date. Another famous thing called the "Gettysburg Address" This is landmark in American History, it marked the moving forward of the Nation after 600,000 men died in 4 years from Fort Sumter to Appomattox. Lincoln was a great speaker and said many quotes.
As for the Civil war aspect he didn't plan any of the battles, it was left up the top Generals. Lincoln however, did provide troops as needed with help Congress of course. Lincoln was a great politic and leader. In 1865 on April 14 Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Before he was assassinated, Lincoln had plans for a slow reconstruction which was eventually took over by radical republicans.
If you want more information on Abraham Lincoln, just type it on Google and there is tons of info or you buy tons of books on him.


My next post will be Confederate President Jefferson Davis....