Abraham Lincoln Research Paper

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Camryn Marshall
AP United States History
Mr. Johnson
2 November 2013
Abraham Lincoln Outline
I. Background
a. Abraham Lincoln Sr. was a captain in the Virginia Militia during the revolution and led patrols into the Virginia countryside to defend the community from Cherokee warriors (“Abraham Lincolns”)
b. 1782, the family moved to the “frontier” of Kentucky, hence “born in a log cabin” (“”)
c. Indians killed Abraham Lincoln’s grandfather in 1786 and young Tom, Abraham Lincoln’s father, witnessed it (“”).
d. Abraham Lincoln Jr. was born on February 12, 1809 to Tom Lincoln and
Nancy Hanks in Hardin County, Kentucky (“”) e. Thomas Lincoln, though an uneducated farmer, was highly respected in his community: bought his own land, a Baptist, and outspoken against slavery (“”). f. By the time Abe was 7, the family moved to Spencer County, Indiana due to debt and refusal to support slavery (“”). g. Abraham’s mother and two of his younger siblings died before he was 10 years old (“”). h. Although his education only lasted 18 months, Abraham borrowed books, such as the Bible, Life of Washington, Life of Henry Clay, from neighbors to read (“”). i. The “Life of Henry Clay” excited his taste of politics, kindled his ambition, and made him a warm admirer and partisan of Henry Clay (“”). j. Lincoln was regarded as a remarkable young man as he grew, both intellectually and physically exceptional. He was ready to help all who were in need of help, do their errands, write their letters, and lighten their burdens (“Abraham Lincoln Biography”). k. In March, 1830, the Lincolns again moved to Macon County, Illinois, where Abe began studying Law (“”). l. In the Black Hawk War of 1832, Lincoln was elected captain and was able to make several political connections. m. In 1834, he was elected into the Illinois state legislature as a Whig, supporting infrastructure, protective tariffs, and formulated is early views on slavery (moral wrong) (“”). n. He then became a self- taught lawyer and partnered with William Herndon in 1844. m. In 1837, he fell in love with Anne Rutledge, but before getting engaged, died of typhoid fever at 22 years old, leaving Lincoln severely depressed (“”). n. He fell in love with Mary Owens and Mary Todd, but called both off. o. On November 4, 1842 he married Mary Todd and had four children, of which only one, Robert, survived to adulthood (“”).
II. Political Life a. Lincoln joined the Whig Party because he thought it was grounded on principles in which he passionately believed. It embodied the promise of American life. Economically it stood for growth, development and progress and Henry Clay was Lincoln’s idol (Donald)
b. Lincoln served a single term in the House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849 (). c. He publicly spoke out against the Mexican- American war and supposedly wanted to see the “American blood” that was spilled, earning him the nickname “Spotty” and “the Benedict Arnold of our district” (Donald). d. He opposed the war because he saw it as a way to extend slavery (Donald). e. Criticized and unpopular, he returned to practicing law in 1848 in Springfield, Illinois (“”). f. In 1854 after Congress passed the Kansas- Nebraska Act which allowed individual states and territories to make their own decisions regarding slavery, the Republican Party arose and Lincoln’s political zeal was once again stimulated and he joined the party in 1856 (“”). g. In 1854, Lincoln declared his opposition to slavery in his “Peoria Speech (Donald). h. After the state Republican party convention nominated him for the US Senate in 1858, Lincoln delivered his House Divided Speech. The speech created an evocative image of the danger of disunion caused by the slavery debate (Donald) i. The Mexican War in 1846, the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850, the Kansas- Nebraska Act in 1854 and the Dred Scott Decision in 1857 all moved Lincoln to take a public stand