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Watch a definitive biography of the 16th president, based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's bestseller, "Leadership: In Turbulent Times." Learn about Lincoln's life, leadership, and legacy through dramatic scenes, expert interviews, and historical sources.
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- Overview
- Follow Abraham Lincoln from a frontier cabin to the White House where he guided America through the Civil War
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Follow Abraham Lincoln from a frontier cabin to the White House where he guided America through the Civil War
An overview of the life of Abraham Lincoln.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
•Follow Abraham Lincoln from a frontier cabin to the White House where he guided America through the Civil War
•Discover the historical significance of the Battle of the Wilderness
•Learn about North Carolina's contribution to the Confederate causes during the American Civil War
NARRATOR: Abraham Lincoln—the 16th president of the United States—took office at a pivotal moment in American history. Deeply divided over the issues of slavery and states' rights, the country faced a civil war that pitted the North against the South. Lincoln stood firm in his determination to hold the Union together, which he accomplished by leading the North to victory. He also brought an end to slavery in the United States, earning the title of the Great Emancipator.
The future president came from humble beginnings. Born in 1809, in a log cabin on the American frontier, Lincoln spent much of his boyhood living the life of a pioneer. All told, he attended school for less than a year, but he educated himself by reading. As a boy he read history and literature by the light of a log fire. As a young man he taught himself mathematics so he could work as a county surveyor, one of the many jobs he held before entering politics. And after his election to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834, he borrowed law books to study in his free time. By 1836 he had become a lawyer.
With his sharp mind and his reputation for honesty, Lincoln excelled in his new profession. Honest Abe, as he was known, practiced law in Springfield, the Illinois capital, and also traveled with the court as it made the rounds of its judicial district, or circuit. He often carried his legal papers in his trademark stovepipe hat, which he called his "walking office." By the time he began to be prominent in national politics, Lincoln had made himself one of the most distinguished and successful lawyers in Illinois.
The issue that motivated Lincoln to pursue politics at the national level was slavery. During the 1850s the threat of the expansion of slavery into the western territories led to fierce debate and even violent conflict between proslavery and antislavery forces. The issue threatened to split the Union between North and South. At this time of national crisis, Lincoln delivered one of his most famous speeches.
LINCOLN: A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.
NARRATOR: Lincoln's election as president in 1860 convinced the Southern states that their way of life, based on slavery, was threatened. Before Lincoln had even moved into the White House, seven Southern states had seceded from the Union to form their own government, the Confederacy. The Civil War broke out in April 1861, just six weeks after Lincoln’s inauguration.
- 7 min
Join Historian Jared Frederick as he explains the main points of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and what the speech means to Americans then, as well as now. This video is part of the American Battlefield Trust's In4 video series, which presents short videos on basic Civil War topics.
- 4 min
Mar 9, 2024 · Life and Legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. Pastimes Productions executive co-producers Doris Kearns Goodwin and Beth Laski talked about their recent miniseries on Abraham Lincoln ’s...
