how did abraham lincoln get the nickname honest abe

", Lincoln lost his Senate bid to Douglas. The Lincoln cent, an American coin portraying Lincoln, This article is about the president of the United States. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Armstrong was acquitted. It was a time of great unease in American politics. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The future president was first called "Honest Abe" when he was working as a young store clerk in New Salem, Ill. The remaining 38 were executed in the largest mass hanging in U.S. history. He would be a clerk, a storeowner, postmaster, and surveyor. We want to bridge divides to reach everyone. [311] President Johnson was sworn in later that same day. That doomed amendment would have protected slavery in states where it already existed. Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the United States, was born near Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. At the last minute, Grant decided to go to New Jersey to visit his children instead of attending the play. How did Abraham Lincoln get the nickname of "Honest Abe?" - Fun Trivia Known to his family and friends as Jemmy, his small stature and weak physical appearance led some detractors to disparage him as Little Jemmy or His Little Majesty. One contemporary quipped that he was no bigger than half a piece of soap. Author Washington Irving was no kinder, noting at Madisons 1809 inauguration that he resembled a withered little apple. By comparison, his fellow Virginian Thomas Jefferson, who at 6 feet 2 inches towered over most of his countrymen, was dubbed Long Tom.. [121] Some eastern Republicans supported Douglas for his opposition to the Lecompton Constitution and admission of Kansas as a slave state. google_ad_slot = "5694575557"; He served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives but lost two U.S. Senate races. Lincoln and his wife attended the play Our American Cousin on the evening of April 14, just five days after the Union victory at the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. Carlisle, PA 17013 [366], Schwartz argues that in the 1930s and 1940s the memory of Abraham Lincoln was practically sacred and provided the nation with "a moral symbol inspiring and guiding American life." 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. Grateful citizens built tributes to Hoover, including a Belgian statue depicting him as the Isis, the Egyptian god of life. Finally, at age 25 he would be elected to the State Assembly from this frontier town of 100 persons, mostly farmers who cut below the tough prairie sod to find some of the richest soil in the world. He expanded his war powers, imposed a blockade on Confederate ports, disbursed funds before appropriation by Congress, suspended habeas corpus, and arrested and imprisoned thousands of suspected Confederate sympathizers. He also hired John George Nicolay as his personal secretary, who would remain in that role during the presidency. [249] At its convention, the Republicans selected Johnson as his running mate. His allies, the War Democrats and the Radical Republicans, demanded harsh treatment of the Southern Confederates. [73] Their party favored economic modernization in banking, tariffs to fund internal improvements including railroads, and urbanization. google_ad_width = 120; It is believed he was given this nickname as a young man. [49] While anxiously preparing for the nuptials, he was asked where he was going and replied, "To hell, I suppose. Always comfortable telling jokes and stories around the men of Springfield, he usually was awkward and self-conscious around women. While Lincoln was popular in the Midwest, he lacked support in the Northeast and was unsure whether to seek the office. On April 14, 1865, just five days after the war's end at Appomattox, he was attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Mary, when he was fatally shot by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. 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. At the outset of the war, he would have done so at any cost, including by allowing slavery to continue. [29] Family, neighbors, and schoolmates recalled that his reading included the King James Bible, Aesop's Fables, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. He also practiced law in Illinois during the 1830s and '40s, and in that time he became one of the state's most renowned lawyers. The nicknames given to Americas commanders in chief have been as varied as the people themselves. .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. February 10, 1987 Lincoln was born into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky and was raised on the frontier, primarily in Indiana. 6 No. New Salem, his first home away from home, allowed Lincoln to, in his words, ``get hold of something that was knotty'' -- law and politics -- and wrestle with them, as he wrestled in sport with the local toughs. Hardcover, 270 pages. [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. 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 . To illustrate this theme within the Lincoln canon, we have pulled together a variety of documents mainly from Lincolns pre-presidential years that focus on his core beliefs and particular challenges to them. [372] He noted that Lincoln used ethnic slurs and told jokes that ridiculed blacks. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. During this time, the newly formed Confederate States of America began seizing federal military bases in the south. Because no president had ever died in office, few worried that Tyler would succeed the head of the ticket, William Henry Harrison. There are documents here concerning Lincolns main political and economic policy doctrines, his legal principles and his struggle with religious beliefs. [155] Though he did not give public appearances, many sought to visit him and write him. He even took the time to enjoy The Revised Statutes of Indiana because the book included the Declaration of Independence and The United States Constitution (Hunt107). He managed the factions by exploiting their mutual enmity, carefully distributing political patronage, and by appealing to the American people. Local leaders' groups later burned critical rail bridges to the capital and the Army responded by arresting local Maryland officials. Abraham Lincoln - The Truth About Honest Abe | World History [271], On August 17, 1862, the Sioux or Dakota uprising broke out in Minnesota. [82] The resolution was ignored in both Congress and the national papers, and it cost Lincoln political support in his district. The family then migrated west, passing through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. "[50] In 1844, the couple bought a house in Springfield near his law office. She was the daughter of Alexander and Abigail Herring (ne Harrison). Civil War Library War & Affiliation Civil War / Union. 1864 photo of President Lincoln with youngest son, U.S. House of Representatives (18471849), LincolnDouglas debates and Cooper Union speech. Townsfolk looked on as the stern of the boat began to fill with water. In the four-way presidential race of 1860, Lincoln got more votes than any other candidate. When WWI began in 1914, Hoover was a millionaire engineer, but his Quaker upbringing led him to answer the call when famine threatened to kill millions of citizens in Europe. [340] It is unknown to what extent this may have resulted in mercury poisoning. Lincolns presidency was tragically cut short, but his contributions to the United States ensured that he would be remembered as one of its most influential presidents. Americans asked, "What would Lincoln do? The pledge read as follows: This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this Administration will not be re-elected. His Marriage Was Rocky. His neighbours later recalled how he used to trudge for miles to borrow a book. Other versions of the quotation have been offered, including "He now belongs to the ages," "He is a man for the ages," and "Now he belongs to the angels." Now a congressman, Alexander Ramsey told Lincoln, in 1864, that he would have gotten more re-election support in Minnesota had he executed all 303 of the Mdewakanton. She ran the household with an even hand, treating both sets of children as if she had borne them all; but she became especially fond of Abraham, and he of her. His Amnesty Proclamation of December 8, 1863, offered pardons to those who had not held a Confederate civil office and had not mistreated Union prisoners, if they were willing to sign an oath of allegiance. Lincoln confidentially pledged in writing that if he should lose the election, he would still defeat the Confederacy before turning over the White House;[251] Lincoln did not show the pledge to his cabinet, but asked them to sign the sealed envelope. Throughout the 1850s, Lincoln had doubted the prospects of civil war, and his supporters rejected claims that his election would incite secession. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation and held the nation together through the trauma of the . [14][d] In 1860, Lincoln noted that the family's move to Indiana was "partly on account of slavery", but mainly due to land title difficulties. Douglas's argument was more legal in nature, claiming that Lincoln was defying the authority of the U.S. Supreme Court as exercised in the Dred Scott decision. On August 16, 1837, he wrote Owens a letter saying he would not blame her if she ended the relationship, and she never replied. 9 Questions About the American Civil War Answered, Match the Quote to the Speaker: American Speeches, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham-Lincoln, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Abraham Lincoln, The White House - Biography of Abraham Lincoln, American National Biography - Biography of Abraham Lincoln, American Battlefields Trust - Biography of Abraham Lincoln, Indian Child - Biography of Abraham Lincoln, The Ohio State University - ehistory - Abraham Lincoln, Social Studies for Kids - Biography of Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Abraham Lincoln - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), presidency of the United States of America (1861-1865), Abraham Lincoln: statue at the Lincoln Memorial. "The best way to predict the future is to create it." -Abraham Lincoln. [342] It is also suspected that he might have had a rare genetic disease such as Marfan syndrome or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B. At an annual reporters dinner that year, Roosevelt was presented with an 8-foot tall papier- mch sphinx in his likeness. "Stanton and Lincoln virtually conducted the war together", say Thomas and Hyman. He was especially noted for the skill and strength with which he could wield an ax. [294] Thanksgiving had become a regional holiday in New England in the 17th century. All rights reserved, Weird But True Know-It-All: U.S. Presidents, NICKNAMES: Honest Abe, the Great Emancipator, BORN: February 12, 1809, near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Poisoned milk killed Lincolns mother. google_ad_client = "pub-4827800057613031"; At age 25 he was elected to the local government in Springfield, Illinois. Gopnik, Adam, "Angels and Ages: Lincoln's language and its legacy,", On claims that Lincoln was baptized by an associate of, Lincoln wrote to Thurlow Weed on March 4, 1865, "on the recent Inaugeral [, "One significant point of disagreement among historians and political scientists is whether Roger Taney heard, James M. McPherson, "Who Freed the Slaves? That meant there would be no prisoners of war, no surrender, no peace agreement. The 1933-1934 Chicago World's Fair included a replica building exhibit of the Lincoln-Berry store. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln signed legislation creating the U.S. Secret Service. How Did Abraham Lincoln Changed Our Society. [330] After Willie's death, he questioned the divine necessity of the war's severity. Lincoln's guest, Major Henry Rathbone, momentarily grappled with Booth, but Booth stabbed him and escaped. It was later learned that the strange disease was due to drinking tainted milk from a cow that had ingested poisonous white snakeroot. Lincoln believed Chase was an able jurist, would support Reconstruction legislation, and that his appointment united the Republican Party. [196], Lincoln's war strategy embraced two priorities: ensuring that Washington was well-defended and conducting an aggressive war effort for a prompt, decisive victory. He elevated Henry Halleck in July and appointed John Pope as head of the new Army of Virginia. During the Great Depression, he argues, Lincoln served "as a means for seeing the world's disappointments, for making its sufferings not so much explicable as meaningful." He tracked all phases of the effort, consulting with governors, and selecting generals based on their success, their state, and their party. [212], In the 1862 midterm elections the Republicans suffered severe losses due to rising inflation, high taxes, rumors of corruption, suspension of habeas corpus, military draft law, and fears that freed slaves would come North and undermine the labor market. Lincoln painstakingly monitored the telegraph reports coming into the War Department. [198] For his edification Lincoln relied upon a book by his chief of staff General Henry Halleck entitled Elements of Military Art and Science; Halleck was a disciple of the European strategist Antoine-Henri Jomini. Arlington, VA 22204, Feb. 12, 2009, Mille Lacs Band letter, The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat Sept 19, 1862 in St Paul, p. 3. Lincoln's success depended on his campaign team, his reputation as a moderate on the slavery issue, and his strong support for internal improvements and the tariff. The campaign trail anecdote dovetails nicely into Lincoln's lasting legacy as "Honest Abe." He got the nickname years earlier in . "[139], Historian David Herbert Donald described the speech as "a superb political move for an unannounced presidential aspirant. In March 1830 the Lincoln family undertook a second migration, this time to Illinois, with Lincoln himself driving the team of oxen. Some have showcased military victories and qualities of leadership to propel candidates onto the national stage, while others have revealed the darker side of American politics itself. By his mid-20s, Abraham Lincoln had moved to New Salem, Illinois, where he worked as a shopkeeper, postmaster and store owner. Lincoln is remembered as a martyr and a national hero for his wartime leadership and for his efforts to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. [163] The upper South and border states (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas) initially rejected the secessionist appeal. [94] From 1853 to 1860, one of his largest clients was the Illinois Central Railroad. He had little formal schooling but . "[242] Grant's army moved steadily south. Anti-war Democrats (called "Copperheads") despised Lincoln, and irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements plotted his assassination. He believed that the governments job was to do what a community of people could not do for themselves. In 1860 he was nominated at the Republican National Convention to be the partys presidential candidate, and he embarked on a presidential campaign that he would win. 6,469 in 1849. What if it were true? Honest Abe Lincoln | Humanities in Class Digital Library Lincoln did believe in an all-powerful God that shaped events and by 1865 was expressing that belief in major speeches. [264] With ratification, it became the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution on December 6, 1865. Richey Edwards Last Photo, Articles H