how did abraham lincoln get the nickname honest abe how did abraham lincoln get the nickname honest abe

[241] When Lincoln asked what Grant's plans were, the persistent general replied, "I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer. But Lincoln had already begun to be mythicized during his lifetime, some of his contemporaries drawing parallels between him and figures like George Washington. He believed that the governments job was to do what a community of people could not do for themselves. Alternate titles: Honest Abe, The Great Emancipator, The Rail-splitter, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. Finally, in search for the reason Lincoln was so adamant about honesty, a quote by one of his closest friends, Leonard Swett, is revealing: "He believed in the great laws of truth, the right discharge of duty, his accountability to God, the ultimate triumph of the right, and the overthrow of wrong. If you have questions about your account, please From 1834 to 1840, Abraham Lincoln occupied a seat in the Illinois state legislature. In Lincoln's early political years, he wrote "I want in all cases to do right, and most particularly so in all cases with women." During July and August, there's an excellent outdoor repertory theater inside the park called ``The Great American People Show.'' This was a principle to which he remained true all of his life. ", Lincoln cited his plans for banning the expansion of slavery as the key source of conflict between North and South, stating "One section of our country believes slavery is right and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong and ought not to be extended. Secret Service did come to Lincolns protection, but only in death. As licensed bartenders, Lincoln and Berry were able to sell spirits, including liquor, for 12 cents a pint. [104] He said the Kansas Act had a "declared indifference, but as I must think, a covert real zeal for the spread of slavery. [19], On October 5, 1818, Nancy Lincoln died from milk sickness, leaving 11-year-old Sarah in charge of a household including her father, 9-year-old Abraham, and Nancy's 19-year-old orphan cousin, Dennis Hanks. [330] After Willie's death, he questioned the divine necessity of the war's severity. At the outset of the war, he would have done so at any cost, including by allowing slavery to continue. [40], Speculation persists that Lincoln's first romantic interest was Ann Rutledge, whom he met when he moved to New Salem. It included two short stints in Kentucky, where he learned to read but probably not to write, at age seven,[27] and in Indiana, where he went to school sporadically due to farm chores, for a total of fewer than 12 months in aggregate by the age of 15. [94] From 1853 to 1860, one of his largest clients was the Illinois Central Railroad. purchase. [277][additional citation(s) needed] Shortly after, a Mille Lacs Band Chief offered the same at St. [12] Indiana was a "free" (non-slaveholding) territory, and they settled in an "unbroken forest"[13] in Hurricane Township, Perry County, Indiana. His father, Thomas Lincoln, was the descendant of a weavers apprentice who had migrated from England to Massachusetts in 1637. Copperheads criticized Lincoln for refusing to compromise on slavery. [269] Later he served as a Captain in the state militia during the Black Hawk War seeing no combat. Ramsey to fight the Sioux on September 26, 1862. ", According to Judge David Davis, in whose court Lincoln practiced for many years, "The framework for [Lincoln's] mental and moral being was honesty, and a wrong cause was poorly defended by him." hdivided@dickinson.edu Already having taught himself grammar and mathematics, he began to study law books. [88], In his Springfield practice, Lincoln handled "every kind of business that could come before a prairie lawyer". John Wilkes Booths brother saved the life of Lincolns son. Enjoy this reimagined American folktale about young Abraham Lincoln. Watch more PragerU Kids shows HERE https://l.pr. [159] His victory in the Electoral College was decisive: Lincoln had 180 votes to 123 for his opponents. New Salem State Park, 10 twisty miles off Interstate 55 in central Illinois, is a perfectly reconstructed 1830s pioneer settlement. Drawing by Beighaus, courtesy National Park Service, (AD) "Weird But True Know-It-All: U.S. Presidents". When Abraham Lincoln was on the 1860 campaign trail, . That doomed amendment would have protected slavery in states where it already existed. By his mid-20s, Abraham Lincoln had moved to New Salem, Illinois, where he worked as a shopkeeper, postmaster and store owner. [387] While he is usually portrayed bearded, he did not grow a beard until 1860 at the suggestion of 11-year-old Grace Bedell. Responding to the news that Lincoln was to be his adversary, Dou8glas said: "I shall have my hands full. Due to his honesty over the fights he soon developed the name Honest Abe. When he became president, Lincoln allowed the enslavement of people to continue in southern states but he outlawed its spread to other existing states and states that might later join the Union. [259] Lincoln led the moderates in Reconstruction policy and was opposed by the Radicals, under Rep. Thaddeus Stevens, Sen. Charles Sumner and Sen. Benjamin Wade, who otherwise remained Lincoln's allies. [311] President Johnson was sworn in later that same day. He reached a national audience in the 1858 Senate campaign debates against Stephen A. Douglas. Author of. [262], After implementing the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln increased pressure on Congress to outlaw slavery throughout the nation with a constitutional amendment. his restraint, his avoidance of any outward expression of truculence, his early softening of State Department's attitude toward Britain, his deference toward Seward and Sumner, his withholding of his paper prepared for the occasion, his readiness to arbitrate, his golden silence in addressing Congress, his shrewdness in recognizing that war must be averted, and his clear perception that a point could be clinched for America's true position at the same time that satisfaction was given to a friendly country. subscription yet. But he soon came into conflict with fellow Whigs, and his growing list of political enemies quickly dubbed him His Accidency. A man without a party, he briefly ran for election in 1844 before withdrawing his candidacy for lack of support. The night he was shot, he and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, were watching a play in Washington, D.C. [178] In his second inaugural address, Lincoln looked back on the situation at the time and said: "Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the Nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came. Afterward he joked that he had seen no live, fighting Indians during the war but had had a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes. Meanwhile, aspiring to be a legislator, he was defeated in his first try and then repeatedly reelected to the state assembly. In 1863, Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November of that year to be a day of Thanksgiving. What if it were true? Lincoln was born into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky and was raised on the frontier, primarily in Indiana. Today, historians tell us there is not a single credible story of Lincoln's being unfaithful to his wife. Together with Congress, he established the Department of Agriculture; supported the development of a transcontinental railroad; enacted the Homestead Act, which opened up land to settlers; and crafted the 13th Amendment, which ended the enslavement of people. McClellan's slow progress frustrated Lincoln, as did his position that no troops were needed to defend Washington. He soon became a leader of the new Republican Party. Our work isn't possible without your support. Abraham Lincoln meets with Union troops at Sharpsburg following the battle of Antietam in Maryland on October 3, 1862. Night attack on Fort Stevens, while President Lincoln was there, on July 11, 1864. William C. Harris found that Lincoln's "reverence for the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, the laws under it, and the preservation of the Republic and its institutions strengthened his conservatism. Peter Cartwright. Lincoln's guest, Major Henry Rathbone, momentarily grappled with Booth, but Booth stabbed him and escaped. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. [370][371] Bennett won wide attention when he called Lincoln a white supremacist in 1968. "[294] Lincoln made five appointments to the Supreme Court. The political documents sometimes involve campaign experiences, but we have tried to exclude general campaign materials from this category (you will find them in The Railsplitter theme) and instead have concentrated here on moments in Lincolns political career when his ethics seemed to be in jeopardy by the circumstances of his first chosen profession. Please be respectful of copyright. [243] Lincoln reacted to Union losses by mobilizing support throughout the North. [23] Lincoln disliked the hard labor associated with farm life. People relied implicitly upon his honesty, integrity, and impartiality.". [263] This first attempt fell short of the required two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives. 12 Presidential Nicknames and Their Unusual Origins, Photo: ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images, Photo: Universal History Archive/Getty Images, Every Candidate in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Instead of holding Lincoln in contempt of court as expected, the judge, a Democrat, reversed his ruling and admitted the testimony into evidence, resulting in Harrison's acquittal. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship.". All rights reserved. The restoration is open year-round but is quiet during much of the year. Lincoln closely supervised the strategy and tactics in the war effort, including the selection of generals, and implemented a naval blockade of the South's trade. (1958), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Abraham Lincoln: A Resource Guide from the Library of Congress, American Writers: A Journey Through History, Abraham Lincoln: Original Letters and Manuscripts, Lincoln/Net: Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, In Popular Song: Our Noble Chief Has Passed Away by Cooper/Thomas, Abraham Lincoln Recollections and Newspaper Articles Collection, the Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abraham_Lincoln&oldid=1142413964, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 07:12. Another judge who had worked with Lincoln agreed, saying "Such was the transparent candor and integrity of his nature that he could not well or strongly argue a side or a cause he thought wrong.". [35] In the campaign, Lincoln advocated for navigational improvements on the Sangamon River. In recent years, the political side to Lincolns character, and his racial views in particular, have come under close scrutiny, as scholars continue to find him a rich subject for research. [280][additional citation(s) needed] Sibley ordered a military commission to review that actions of the captured to try those that had committed war crimes. A few months before John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln, the presidents oldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln, stood on a train platform in Jersey City, New Jersey. Franklin D. Roosevelt, preparing America for war, used the words of the Civil War president to clarify the threat posed by Germany and Japan. Lincoln refused to negotiate with the Confederacy as a coequal; his objective to end the fighting was not realized. Benjamin Franklin isnt the only American political leader who demonstrated an inventive mind. [69], He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1836,[70] and moved to Springfield and began to practice law under John T. Stuart, Mary Todd's cousin. He declared that such an amendment would "clinch the whole matter" and by December 1863 an amendment was brought to Congress. Mary Todd Lincoln once wrote to a friend that "Mr. Lincoln . In 1861, Lincoln signed the second and third Morrill Tariffs, following the first enacted by Buchanan. While voting irregularities and outright stealing werent uncommon in Texas and elsewhere, the actions of Johnsons team raised eyebrows. Lincoln vetoed only four bills, including the Wade-Davis Bill with its harsh Reconstruction program. Some one gave him the wrong amount of change, so. Abraham Lincoln (/lkn/ LINK-n; February 12, 1809 April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. As a member of the Illinois legislature and later in his law practice, he took advantage of his reputation for honesty and fairness to help broaden his constituency. It is found in nearly all the published speeches of him who now addresses you. Yet the contest proceeds."[331]. One of his greatest preoccupations as a political thinker was the issue of self-governance and the promise and problems that could arise from it. Always comfortable telling jokes and stories around the men of Springfield, he usually was awkward and self-conscious around women. [372] He noted that Lincoln used ethnic slurs and told jokes that ridiculed blacks. [82] The resolution was ignored in both Congress and the national papers, and it cost Lincoln political support in his district. [381], In the 21st century, President Barack Obama named Lincoln his favorite president and insisted on using the Lincoln Bible for his inaugural ceremonies. As a rail-splitter, he helped to clear and fence his fathers new farm. Republican-led effort to secure the rights of African Americans in the former Confederacy, known as Reconstruction, was more than a decade old, and much of the country, both North and South, was growing weary of federal occupation of several Southern states. But he also vowed not to surrender the forts. For the first time, Illinois Republicans held a convention to agree upon a Senate candidate, and Lincoln won the nomination with little opposition. Nixons opponent was fellow Congressmember Helen Gahagan Douglas, a former actress who had become Californias first female Democratic representative. He would study law in his spare time and lead a company of men in the Black Hawk War. Christopher Klein is the author of four books, including When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Irelands Freedom and Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan. The convention platform endorsed Congress's right to regulate slavery in the territories and backed the admission of Kansas as a free state. [292] In 1862, Congress created the Department of Agriculture. When Douglas was told of Lincoln's victory, he unselfishly told his informants: "You have nominated a very able and very honest man.". Americans asked, "What would Lincoln do? It is entirely plausible to imagine Lincoln and Congress agreeing on a Reconstruction policy that encompassed federal protection for basic civil rights plus limited black suffrage, along the lines Lincoln proposed just before his death. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln signed legislation creating the U.S. Secret Service. Lincoln traveled to Grant's headquarters at City Point, Virginia, to confer with Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. [10], Thomas Lincoln bought or leased farms in Kentucky before losing all but 200 acres (81ha) of his land in court disputes over property titles. However, Lincoln's articulation of the issues had given him a national political presence. Like George Washington chopping down the cherry tree, the idea of "Honest Abe" Lincoln is one of our most important presidential stories. However, despite his overwhelming support in the Midwestern United States, he was less appreciated in the east. Lincoln Sought the Republican Nomination in 1860 New Salem, Ill. To broaden his coalition to include War Democrats as well as Republicans, Lincoln ran under the label of the new Union Party.[250]. [43] Later in life, Mary struggled with the stresses of losing her husband and sons, and Robert committed her for a time to an asylum in 1875.[57]. [193] In the 1861 Trent Affair which threatened war with Great Britain, the U.S. Navy illegally intercepted a British mail ship, the Trent, on the high seas and seized two Confederate envoys; Britain protested vehemently while the U.S. cheered. As Reagan made the transition from actor to public speaker to politician, he used the skills hed developed to craft a unique persona and way of addressing his audience (and later voters) to twice win election as governor of California. [161] On December 20, 1860, South Carolina took the lead by adopting an ordinance of secession; by February 1, 1861, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas followed. Country music radio legend Ralph Emery passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Jan. 15, 2022. Research Guide, Editor: Matthew Pinsker Getty Images Lincoln always opposed slavery, but it would be simplistic. Lincoln at this time reviewed a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation with his cabinet. [219], Privately, Lincoln concluded that the Confederacy's slave base had to be eliminated. February 10, 1987 [92] In 1849, he received a patent for a flotation device for the movement of boats in shallow water. It will become all one thing, or all the other. The left-leaning Douglas was accused of having communist ties (no small fear at the height of the Red Scare), and her Democratic primary opponent had dubbed her the Pink Lady. Nixon capitalized on the accusations, but also made sure he covered his political bases. [357][o] Between 1999 and 2011, Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan have been the top-ranked presidents in eight public opinion surveys, according to Gallup. 8. Realizing Clay was unlikely to win the presidency, he supported General Zachary Taylor for the Whig nomination in the 1848 presidential election. On election day New York Democrat Samuel Tilden won a plurality of the popular vote. To fill Chief Justice Taney's seat on the Supreme Court, he named the Radicals' choice, Salmon P. Chase, who Lincoln believed would uphold his emancipation and paper money policies. ", Order Leidner's Abraham Lincoln: Quotes, Quips, and Speeches Now, Order Burlingame's The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln Now, Home [115][h], Dred Scott was a slave whose master took him from a slave state to a territory that was free as a result of the Missouri Compromise. A former Democrat, Hannibal Hamlin of Maine, was nominated for vice president to balance the ticket. He worked more often and more closely with Lincoln than any other senior official. Got to admit that WAS pretty honest! The war had begun with a Mexican slaughter of American soldiers in territory disputed by Mexico, and Polk insisted that Mexican soldiers had "invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil. [260], As Southern states fell, they needed leaders while their administrations were restored. Minnesota's Governor had made Sibley a Colonel United States Volunteers to command the US force tasked with fighting the war and that eventually defeated Little Crow's forces at the Battle of Wood Lake. [356], In surveys of U.S. scholars ranking presidents conducted since 1948, the top three presidents are Lincoln, Washington, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, although the order varies. View our top-rated projects The only place to buy anything is the snack bar and gift shop -- which has an excellent collection of new and used books on the Civil War and Lincoln. Samuel Freeman Miller supported Lincoln in the 1860 election and was an avowed abolitionist. [355], In his company, I was never reminded of my humble origin, or of my unpopular color. In 1917 he joined the newly-formed U.S. Food Administration, leading rationing and food conservation efforts upon Americas entry in the war. [319] Lincoln's body was buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield and now lies within the Lincoln Tomb.[320]. Lincoln also had to reinforce Union sympathies in the border slave states and keep the war from becoming an international conflict. Lincoln's experience with Native Americans started early with their killing of his grandfather in front of the family. [101] In his 1852 eulogy for Clay, Lincoln highlighted the latter's support for gradual emancipation and opposition to "both extremes" on the slavery issue. Most are experts in the lives of the characters who made it -- and lost it -- in New Salem in the 1830s. An example of an "enemys" respect came in 1858, during Lincoln's Senate race against the powerful incumbent, Stephen A. Douglas. How Did Abraham Lincoln Changed Our Society. [294] Thanksgiving had become a regional holiday in New England in the 17th century. Lincoln led the Union through the American Civil War to defend the nation as a constitutional union and succeeded in abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal . In afteryears he recalled the panthers scream, the bears that preyed on the swine, and the poverty of Indiana frontier life, which was pretty pinching at times. The unhappiest period of his boyhood followed the death of his mother in the autumn of 1818. And though Lincoln did not know it at the time, he would spend his next six years right in New Salem. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Every Candidate in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race, These 10 Jimmy Carter Quotes Will Inspire You, 4 U.S. Presidents Who Won the Nobel Peace Prize, How Little-Known Jimmy Carter Won the 1976 Primary, George H.W. Lincoln responded, "I could not afford to hang men for votes. [89] Twice a year he appeared for 10 consecutive weeks in county seats in the Midstate county courts; this continued for 16 years. Thats in part because of his assassination by John Wilkes Booth, which happened to occur on Good Fridaya connection that has been drawn time and again. The campaign trail anecdote dovetails nicely into Lincoln's lasting legacy as "Honest Abe." He got the nickname years earlier in . In 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the slaves in the states "in rebellion" to be free. The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C, 1865. [47] She was the daughter of Robert Smith Todd, a wealthy lawyer and businessman in Lexington, Kentucky. It's hard to imagine that the 6-foot-4 Lincoln, a fine wrestler in his day, could be knocked around by his 5-foot-2 wife (though she was, evidently, much surlier). Townsfolk looked on as the stern of the boat began to fill with water. He was self-educated and became a lawyer, Whig Party leader, Illinois state legislator, and U.S. We He would spend the next 40 years in the military, leading troops in the War of 1812, Black Hawk War and Second Seminole War. Whither it is tending seems plain. [305][k] Stanton saluted and said, "Now he belongs to the ages. It's worth a visit, not just to appreciate the historic cooper shop, the 12 timber residences, the saw and grist mill, the schoolhouse, or the blacksmith's shop, but to imagine and appreciate the life lived here by New Salem's most famous resident: Abraham Lincoln. The law opened land for a lease of three years with the ability to purchase title for the freedmen. [314] The train followed a circuitous route from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, stopping at many cities for memorials attended by hundreds of thousands. Honest Abe: Abraham Lincoln and the Moral Character, PA Certificate of Charitable Registration, Teaching America in the Civil War Era, 1829-77. Secession sentiment was strong in Missouri and Maryland, but did not prevail; Kentucky remained neutral. Lincoln led the Union through the American Civil War to defend the nation as a constitutional union and succeeded in abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy. [51], Lincoln was an affectionate husband and father of four sons, though his work regularly kept him away from home. The US issued paper currency for the first time, known as greenbacksprinted in green on the reverse side. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Meanwhile, Lincoln emboldened Grant with more troops and Republican party support. From his earliest days he must have had some familiarity with the Bible, for it doubtless was the only book his family owned. Our politically correct friends won't even accept the possibility that this could be true of course. The term "the United States" has historically been used sometimes in the plural ("these United States") and other times in the singular. Historians disagree on who initiated the move; Thomas Lincoln had no obvious reason to do so. Lincoln ended the crisis by releasing the two diplomats. The Civil War officially began on April 12, 1861, at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, when troops from the Confederacy attacked the U.S. fort. Updates? As States sent Union regiments south, on April 19, Baltimore mobs in control of the rail links attacked Union troops who were changing trains.