The Time of the Lincolns

Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln were brought together by the circumstances of their lives, and by the ambitions that both nurtured within themselves. Their marriage was both one of political alliance, and of respect and love for one another. The video viewed in class, Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided explores the commonalities and conflicts of their lives. Although I have not been able to find the video online anywhere (either YouTube or PBS), I will be updating this post through the week with some things the video presents that you should think about--so check back.

*UPDATE*
Both Abraham and Mary Lincoln lost mothers at an early age: Abraham Lincoln at the age of 9, and Mary Lincoln at the age of 6. Both fathers sought a wife to fill the void in their household, and married shortly afterward. For Abraham Lincoln, his stepmother Sarah Bush Lincoln partially filled the void that the death of his mother had created. She encouraged his educational aspirations, and acted as a buffer between Lincoln and his father as the conflict between them grew. Mary Todd Lincoln had a much less satisfying relationship with her stepmother; she apparently saw her as a rival for her father's affection, and grew to resent her presence in the Todd household.

Part of this difference can be explained, perhaps, by their respective positions within their families. Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln had two children, Sarah and Abraham; when Thomas Lincoln married Sarah Bush, she brought three children from her first marriage, but the couple had no children together. Mary Todd Lincoln was the fourth child born to the union of her mother and father, and her mother died giving birth to a sixth; Robert Smith Todd then had nine more children with his second wife. Although the Todd's had household slaves who assisted with rearing these children, one can imagine the difficulty that individual children had in getting their parent's attention.

The Lincoln's were linked by their political ambitions. For Abraham Lincoln, politics was the best route open to him to advance himself socially and economically. In Mary Todd, he undoubtedly saw someone whose personal connections--as well as her personality and political acumen--would be helpful in advancing his career. For Mary Todd Lincoln, this union would provide her with the only avenue open to her to be poltically active--as the wife of a politician.