Historedia
AmericasEvent

Abraham Lincoln sworn in as 16th president of the United States

When
1861
Where
East Portico of the United States Capitol
Episodes
1

Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as the 16th president on March 4, 1861, at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. His inauguration followed a contentious election and a period of secession, during which seven states formed the Confederacy. Lincoln's address emphasized constitutional continuity and addressed the status of slavery, reflecting the political tensions of the era.

Episodes

  1. March 4, 1861 · East Portico of the United States CapitolFirst Inauguration

    Lincoln was sworn in as the 16th president on March 4, 1861, at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Background and detail

Background. Lincoln's presidency began after his victory in the 1860 election, making him the first Republican president. Between his election and inauguration, seven slave states seceded to form the Confederate States of America. Stephen Douglas warned of a conspiracy to seize Washington, noting Lincoln had not yet arrived in the capital.

Arrival and Security. Lincoln arrived in Washington, D.C., on February 23, 1861, where the city was placed under military guard. This security measure followed warnings about potential conspiracies to disrupt the transition of power. The capital's protection was a significant aspect of the pre-inauguration period.

Inaugural Address. In his first inaugural address, Lincoln stated that he had no objection to making certain constitutional provisions regarding slavery express and irrevocable. This statement reflected his stance on the constitutional status of slavery at the time of his swearing-in.

People involved

  • Abraham Lincoln · 16th President of the United States
  • Stephen Douglas · Lincoln's rival from Illinois, defeated by Lincoln in the 1860 U.S. presidential election

Sources

  1. First inauguration of Abraham Lincoln Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-07
  2. Abraham Lincoln Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.