Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln16th President of the United

States

Warm UpWarm Up

• What do you know about Abraham Lincoln?

• What do you want to know?• What was the Emancipation

Proclamation?• How did this document change

American history?

Early LifeEarly Life• B. Feb. 12, 1809 D. Apr. 14, 1865 (Good

Friday)• Born in a log cabin in KY• Father, Thomas, a skilled carpenter-- able

to buy 3 farms• Mother, Nancy--not much known about her• 1816-- The family moved to Illinois "partly

on account of slavery”• His parents were part of the Baptist church

which forbade slavery• This belief would lead Lincoln to say he

was "naturally anti-slavery"

Lincoln’s Birthplace?Lincoln’s Birthplace?

Lincoln’s Birthplace?Lincoln’s Birthplace?

Early Life cont..Early Life cont..

• His mother died in 1818• His sister dies in 1828• He and his father became estranged

from one another• In 1831, he left home and settled in

New Salem, Illinois near Springfield• He was elected captain of his volunteer

military company during the Black Hawk War (1832)

Political CareerPolitical Career

• 1834-- Member of the lower house of the Illinois legislature (until 1841)

• Was a member of the Whig party– Political party who stood for national

economic development (opportunity and change)

• Slavery was the opposite of opportunity and mobility

• Lincoln stated his political opposition to it as early as 1837

Political Career cont..Political Career cont..• 1836-- Lincoln became a lawyer• Had a successful law practice• Courted and married Mary Todd in

November of 1842– They had four sons– Only one lived past his 18th birthday

• 1847-49: was a member of the House of Representatives– Opposed the American/Mexican war– Felt the President violated the Constitution

Political Career cont..Political Career cont..

• He opposed any U.S. expansion that would allow slavery into new areas– Supported the Wilmot Proviso

• After 1849, he did not run for Congress again

• Went back to Springfield and resumed his law practice

Political Career cont..Political Career cont..• Was against the Kansas/Nebraska act

– Thought it was immoral– Constitution protected those states where slavery

existed: not newly admitted states

• This put him directly against Stephen A. Douglas, who favored the KS/NE act

• 1858- Ran against Douglas for the Senate• Lincoln claimed that Douglas, & Chief Justice

Roger B. Taney conspired to nationalize slavery• He said the nation would become either all

slave or all free: – "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Lincoln-Douglas DebateLincoln-Douglas Debate• Lincoln--Republican party• Douglas--Democratic party• Douglas was a picture of efficiency and success

– Stylish dresser, popular, heavy drinker– Arrived in town by private railroad car, met by a band,

and rode through town via parade

• Lincoln was a man of the people– Wore ill-fitting suits, stovepipe hat (hid letters and

notes), just an ordinary guy– Rode by stage coach from place to place, and walked

with people when he arrived in a town • They are opposites in appearance, not intellect

– Both extremely intelligent

Lincoln-Douglas Debate Lincoln-Douglas Debate cont..cont..

• Had 7 debates against each other• Both were trying to win votes• Tailored their arguments to appeal to the local

audiences– Northern cities: more antislavery– Southern cities: more proslavery

• Douglas’ strategy: make Lincoln look like an abolitionist--against Dred Scott decision

• Lincoln’s strategy: make Douglas out to be a defender of slavery-- for the Dred Scott decision

1860 Lincoln 18651860 Lincoln 1865

Lincoln-Douglas Debate Lincoln-Douglas Debate cont..cont..

• Lincoln’s political position:• He would play both sides

– “All men are created equal…” BUT I am not trying to bring about “the social and political equality of the white and black races.”

• He opposed allowing African Americans to:– Vote– Sit on juries– Marry white woman– To be citizens

• Douglas would win the debates and the Senate seat

• The two would meet again…real soon

The Election of 1860The Election of 1860• Lincoln won the Republican nomination in

1860– Was actually the second choice: the first choice,

William Seward, was not liked in key states (PA being one of them)

• Republicans were shrewd in choosing him– Wonderful debater– His political personality: Honest Abe, Railsplitter– A man of humble origins: born in a log cabin– Self-Educated– Self-made man– A common man, but not ordinary

Election SecurityElection Security

The The RailsplitterRailsplitter

The Election of 1860 cont.The Election of 1860 cont.• Lincoln ran against four other candidates• One person was Stephen Douglas (Democrat)• Lincoln won with 1,866,000 votes

– The other three candidates combined had a million more votes than him

• He swept the North and West• This election did not sit well with the South• On December 20th, 1861, South Carolina called

a convention, and voted unanimously to secede• By February 1, 1861--six other states followed• A week later a government of the Confederate

States of America was established

1860 Election Map1860 Election Map

Electoral VotesElectoral Votes

InaugurationInauguration

Secession VotesSecession Votes

Lincoln and the Civil WarLincoln and the Civil War• He was noted for his sometimes strict

measures, dancing around (and sometimes on the Constitution), and being at odds with his military generals

• He had clear objectives: kill the enemy• Looking for a general who had the same

mentality– Found it in Ulysses S. Grant

• With Grant in charge, Lincoln took a smaller role in military affairs– But was ALWAYS involved

Lincoln and the Civil WarLincoln and the Civil War• Lincoln was viewed as a tyrant, by some

– Suppressed civil liberties– Suspended the writ of habeas corpus for the

nation on September 24, 1862

• But, he did tolerate criticism from the press and politicians– Restrained commanders from making

unnecessary arrests

• Still, some thought he would become a dictator– They believed he would postpone the

election of 1864: he did not

Lincoln and the Civil War Lincoln and the Civil War cont.cont.

• Slavery issue– In peace, he would never go against

the Constitution– BUT, this is WAR!! And in war…– He believed the Commander in Chief

could abolish slavery if necessary

• This brought about the Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

• Consists of two executive orders• 1. Issued September 22, 1862

– Declared freedom to all slaves in any Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863

– In essence, this was a military action• Deprive the South of slave labor• Add more men to the Union army

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

• 2. Issued January 1, 1863– Named the states where this applied

• All slaves “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

• This proclamation committed the Union to ending slavery

• This was not a law passed by Congress• It was a Presidential/Executive order

– Lincoln believed he had this right under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

• BUT… Some Northern whites only wanted to free the slaves to injure their master– The hatred between the North and South

• Lincoln had ulterior motives– Freeing slaves wins favor in Europe

• Immediate effect: aggravate racial prejudice– Whites hated slavery, but would not stand for

equality with blacks

• Northerners feared for their jobs, again• Feared a huge black migration north

– Government pursued a “containment” policy

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

Lincoln’s SignatureLincoln’s Signature

Lincoln on the BattlefieldLincoln on the Battlefield

Lincoln’s AssassinationLincoln’s Assassination

• April 9, 1865 Robert E. Lee surrendered the Southern army to Ulysses S. Grant

• This ended the Civil War• April 11, 1865 Lincoln spoke outside the

White House– Lincoln spoke of giving blacks voting rights– This infuriated some, but forced on to act

• John Wilkes Booth was in attendance that day

Lincoln’s Assassination Lincoln’s Assassination cont.cont.

• John Wilkes Booth was born May 10, 1838

• He was a Shakespearean actor, and well known throughout the country

• Booth was also a racist and Southern sympathizer

• He hated Lincoln and blamed him for all of the South’s flaws

Lincoln’s Assassination Lincoln’s Assassination cont.cont.

• Booth wanted revenge• He was plotting to do something to

Lincoln as early as 1864– His one plot was to kidnap Lincoln and bring

him to the Southern capital (Richmond, Virginia)

– Their were 8 others he involved

• After hearing Lincoln’s speech, Booth felt more drastic measures were needed: Assassination!!!

Lincoln’s Assassination Lincoln’s Assassination cont.cont.

• Booth learned that Lincoln and Grant were going to Ford’s Theater on April 14, to watch a play called Our American Cousin

• He spoke with his other co-conspirators and developed a plan– Booth would kill Lincoln at the theater (Grant left town)– George Atzerodt was to kill Vice-President Andrew Johnson,

at the Kirkwood House. where Johnson resided– Lewis Paine and David Herold were to kill Sec. of State

William Seward

• All attacks were to take place at 10:15 pm• Booth hoped the chaos that ensued would mean a

comeback for the South

Lincoln’s Assassination Lincoln’s Assassination cont.cont.

• The Presidential party arrived at 8:30 pm, and Lincoln sat in his private box

• The Lincolns were sitting with Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone

• Booth arrived at 9:30 pm, went across the street to the tavern, to ease his nerves

• Booth entered the theater around 10:07 pm, and made his way to the Presidential box, armed with a single shot derringer pistol and a hunting knife

• Lincoln’s body guard left his post-- he was guarding the entrance into the Presidential box

• At 10:15, the door to Lincoln’s box swung open…

Lincoln’s Assassination Lincoln’s Assassination cont.cont.

• Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head at near point blank range

• Booth struggled with Rathbone, and stabbed him

• He jumped about 10-11’ onto the stage, and broke his leg

• He yelled, “Sic Semper Tyrannis” Latin for: “As Always to Tyrants.”

• He waved his knife at the stunned crowed, and left the building-- A manhunt was about to begin

Lincoln’s Assassination Lincoln’s Assassination cont.cont.

• As for the other conspirators…– Atzerodt made no attempt to kill Johnson– Paine stabbed Seward, but did not kill him– Herold escaped using the same bridge

Booth did

• Lincoln was taken across the street to the Peterson House

• He never regained consciousness, and died

Lincoln’s AssassinationLincoln’s Assassination

Ford’s Theater 1865Ford’s Theater 1865

Ford’s Theater TodayFord’s Theater Today

Room Lincoln Died InRoom Lincoln Died In

ManhuntManhunt

• Booth and Herold met up in Maryland, at Mary Surratt's tavern, around midnight

• Surratt left supplies and a package for Booth

• 4:00 am they arrived at Dr. Mudd’s home• Mudd set Booth’s leg• They left Mudd’s home, early in the

afternoon of April 15, and headed South• Federal authorities were also heading South

Manhunt cont..Manhunt cont..

• Federal authorities caught up with them at Garrett's farm near Port Royal, Virginia, early in the morning of April 26

• Hiding in a barn, Herold gave up---Booth did not

• The barn was set on fire, and Booth said he would come out shooting

• Sergeant Boston Corbett shot Booth to death

• Corbett was ordered not to shoot!!

Garrett’s FarmGarrett’s Farm

ConspiratorsConspirators

• Within days after Booth was killed, the others were arrested

• A military tribunal tried them, and all were found guilty.

• Mrs. Surratt, Powell, Atzerodt, and Herold were all hanged on July 7, 1865.

• Dr. Mudd, O'Laughlen, and Arnold were given life terms in prison

• President Andrew Johnson pardoned Dr. Mudd, Arnold, and Spangler early in 1869