Abraham LincolnRise to Election

Early Life“It is great folly to attempt to make anything

out of my early life. It can all be condensed into a simple sentence…’the short and simple annals of the poor.’ That’s my life, and that’s all you can make of it.”

- Abe Lincoln

Nancy Hanks Lincoln- mother

Sarah Bush Lincoln- stepmother

Early LifeBorn in KentuckyMoved with his family to Indiana and then

Illinois Went to school for about one yearLearned to read and writeLoved to readEducated himself

Unlucky in love

Abraham Lincoln bids farewell to Ann Rutledge

Mary Owens

Mary Todd

MarriageAbe and Mary were married in 1842 after a

long courtship

Early career1832 enlisted in the Illinois state militia to help

fight the Black Hawk War.Trained and drilled as a CaptainNever saw any action In 1834 at age 25 was elected to the Illinois

state legislature.While in the legislature Lincoln studied to

become a lawyer.

Family Grows

Family Shrinks

Illinois Politics

In 1846 Lincoln served as a member of the House of Representatives as a member of the Whig Party

Republican PartyKansas-Nebraska Act benefitted the South It split NorthernersNortherners who hated it formed the

Republican PartyThe Republican Party was based on one main

goal: Keeping slavery out of new territories.

The Spirit of seventy-six and the spirit of Nebraska, are utter antagonisms…little by little … we have been giving up the old for the new faith. Near eighty years ago we began by declaring that all men are created equal; but now from that beginning we have run down to the other declaration, that for some men to enslave others is a “sacred right of self-government.” These principles cannot stand together…Our republican robe is soiled, and trailed in the dust. Let us repurify it… let us re-adopt it…let us re-adopt the Declaration of Independence, and with it, the practices, and policy, which harmonize with it… If we do this, we shall not only save the Union; but we shall have so saved it, as to make, and to keep it, forever worthy of saving.

Abraham Lincoln October 16, 1854, Peoria, Illinois Quoted in Battle Cry of Freedom page 129

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

•1858: Abe Lincoln ran for one of Illinois’ Senate seats•He ran against Stephen Douglas

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Stephen Douglas was a Democrat who wanted to compromise with the South

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery in any way.

Douglas favored letting people decide using Popular Sovereignty

Lincoln-Douglas DebateResults……. Douglas won the election and

became Illinois’ SenatorDouglas’ arguments made him unpopular in

the South.Lincoln was already unpopular in the SouthLincoln is thrust in the national spotlight

Presidential Election of 1860Democrats were dividedSouthern Democrats wanted to protect slavery

in the new territoriesNorthern Democrats (including Douglas)

wanted to stick to Popular Sovereignty

Presidential Election of 1860Republicans nominated Abraham LincolnConstitutional Union party nominated John BellNorthern Democrats nominated Stephen

DouglasSouthern Democrats nominated John

Breckinridge

Southern Reaction to Lincoln’s ElectionSoutherners feared Northern aggressionFeared Northern majority in congress (18 free

states to 15 slave states)Feared that Abraham Lincoln would free all the

slaves.Southern states secede from the union

Secessionthe action of withdrawing formally from

membership of a federation or body, esp. a political state

Secession South Carolina seceded first (even before

Lincoln took office)Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia,

Louisiana and Texas follow.

Secession

Fort Sumter

Fort SumterOnce South Carolina secedes from the Union,

Fort Sumter is now a United States fort in the Confederate States of America (enemy territory)

Confederate leaders tell the US Army to surrender Fort Sumter

US Army refuses

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter—April 12, 1861