I was born in Hardin on February 12, 1809. I spent most of my childhood in Indiana from ages 7-21. I didn't always agree with my father but we had the same view on slavery. I helped out a lot on the farm and read when I could as a young boy. I had less than a year of formal education. When I was 14 my family joined a church and while i did not regularly attend I still became a person of deep religious feelings. I married Mary Todd on November 1842. We had four kids but only three lived through adolescence. I moved to New Salem, Illinois in July of 1831. I fought in the Black Hawk War in 1831. While I had only been there for less than a year I was quickly nominated captain. I served for ninety days but I never fought in battle. I was lucky
…show more content…
When the results of my election were clear the South made an awful decision. On December 20, 1860 Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia decided to leave the Union. The South claimed all of the Forts in the South and trying not to be hostile I only ordered a restock of Fort Sumter. The Southern States viewed this as an act of war and the Civil War began. Within two days of the attack on Fort Sumter, an army of 75,000 men had formed. I always knew that slavery was a moral wrong but I always knew the Constitution allowed it. In 1862 I used the war against the South as an excuse to free the slaves in the Southern States saying that the South could use the slaves against us. In 1863 the Union had two major victories against the South, one in the East and one in the West. In the West we won the battle of Vicksburg, and in the East we won the important battle of Gettysburg with cost many tens of thousands their lives. These victories insured that I would win the election of 1864. I was elected again and was inaugurated on March 4, 1865. In my inaugural address I spoke of greater rights for African Americans and my goals for reconstruction. On April 9, 1865 general Robert E. Lee finally surrendered in Appomattox. On April 14, 1865 I was
When the results of my election were clear the South made an awful decision. On December 20, 1860 Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia decided to leave the Union. The South claimed all of the Forts in the South and trying not to be hostile I only ordered a restock of Fort Sumter. The Southern States viewed this as an act of war and the Civil War began. Within two days of the attack on Fort Sumter, an army of 75,000 men had formed. I always knew that slavery was a moral wrong but I always knew the Constitution allowed it. In 1862 I used the war against the South as an excuse to free the slaves in the Southern States saying that the South could use the slaves against us. In 1863 the Union had two major victories against the South, one in the East and one in the West. In the West we won the battle of Vicksburg, and in the East we won the important battle of Gettysburg with cost many tens of thousands their lives. These victories insured that I would win the election of 1864. I was elected again and was inaugurated on March 4, 1865. In my inaugural address I spoke of greater rights for African Americans and my goals for reconstruction. On April 9, 1865 general Robert E. Lee finally surrendered in Appomattox. On April 14, 1865 I was