Abraham Lincoln: Douglas Debates and Presidential Inauguration

Abraham Lincoln: A Brief History Of His Campaign And Inauguration.

This history of Abraham Lincoln could not be complete without mentioning the Lincoln Douglas debates.

Although Lincoln was not campaigning for the Presidency during these debates, the debates brought him national attention. It made way for his eventual Presidential election victory. There were seven debates. All debates took place in Illinois. The first debate took place in Ottawa, the second in Freeport, the third in Jonesboro, the fourth in Charleston, the fifth in Galesburg, the sixth in Quincy, and the seventh in Alton. The seventh debate was the most significant. The following URL is provided for readers who are interested in a complete transcript of the debates.

http://www.nps.gov/liho/historyculture/debates.htm

On November 6, 1860 Lincoln won the Presidential election: A little over one year after John Brown seized a US Armory.

During Lincoln's journey from Springfield to Washington, he traveled through five states. He learned about a band called the 'blood tubs." The Blood Tubs were essentially a band of street thugs. This band intended to abduct Lincoln in Baltimore possibly for the purpose of assassinating him. Lincoln took a train into Washington at night, avoiding the abduction.

Lincoln's inaugural address was given on March 4, 1861: The same day that he rode the train into Washington. During his inaugural address, Lincoln said that he had no intention of interfering with slavery in the slave states. Lincoln did not feel he had the right to do so. He also stated that a state does not have a right to secede from the Union. He assured the South that the union would not attack them.The deep south had seceded from the Union before Lincoln was elected. He stated that the South and North were not enemies. Then Lincoln took the oath of office.

After he took office, Lincoln had to deal with the Fort Sumter Crisis. He stated his intent of delivering food and supplies to Fort Sumter. On April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, a shot was fired by Edmund Ruffin. This shot started the Civil War.

References:

Books

None Died In Vain: The Saga Of The American Civil War

A Patriot's History Of The United States

The 2009 World Almanac

and

http://www.nps.gov/liho/historyculture/debates.htm