Transcript: Abraham Lincoln, Attorney at Law

Gates: After only one term in Washington as a congressman, Lincoln returned to Illinois in 1849 to practice law. By now the father of two children, Lincoln needed to earn a living, but the law also offered him a respite from family obligations and a chance to hone the skills that would one day make him a formidable politician. Goodwin: I think the period as a prairie lawyer is it’s where Lincoln in some ways found his voice, both as a fair man, as an advocate in the court, but even more importantly, it was where he educated himself. Because when he was on the circuit, he was reading. He taught himself Euclidian geometry.

The lawyers would travel in Illinois on the circuit together. You know the judges, the lawyers, the sheriffs, they’re all bouncing from one county courthouse to the other, and so Lincoln developed close friendships his confidence was built up, his relationships with people, his learning, It’s a critical period in his life.

Gates: Today the tiny courthouses on Lincoln’s legal circuit have become tourist destinations, a testament to the reach of his appeal.

Gates: Lincoln was involved in over 5000 court cases, many of them minor property disputes or fights over land boundaries…

Courthouse Speaker: He would mediate cases right there in the park telling people don’t go to court, it’s a waste of time and money.

Gates: Lincoln took just about any case that came his way.