The legacy of Lincoln's leader
It would be hard to imagine that Abraham Lincoln could have foreseen the greatness of his life or the tragedy of his death in his meager candle lit log cabin as a child. A seed was planted in that backwoods Kentucky cabin that would grow to be one of the greatest American leaders in history. President Lincoln cultivated his vision of American freedom and unity into the cracked soil of a divided nation in face of war-often with the lack of popular and political support. Great men are revealed by trying times, and Lincoln would prove to a nation that he was among the finest leaders in the most trying times America has seen before or since. Richard L. Daft, author of Leadership: Theory and Practice, defines leadership as "an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their shared purposes" (Daft, Pg 7). President Lincoln transcends this definition by implementing a vision for a nation progress that effected radical change on Americans with disparate views on the issues of slavery and civil concord. Lincoln's Challenges as president began before he was even sworn in on March 14, 1861, by the man who, ironically, was responsible for much of the nat
The South heavily depended on slaves during the war, and, by freeing them, Lincoln took away a huge Confederate asset while bolstering his own forces with Blacks eager to fight against their previous oppressors. When Lincoln was confirmed to have won the election the Southern States reacted to the possible threat of an anti-slavery leader by secession from the Union to form the Confederate States of America. Freeing the slaves was not only a tremendous humanitarian act, but in fact was a brilliant strategic move. By the time of his inaugural address many of the states had already left the Union and he tried to dispel their fears by saying, "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. "Lincoln, Abraham," Microsoftc Encartac Encyclopedia 99. In the 1856 Chief Justice Taney ruled on the Dred Scott Case whose controversial verdict had national implications and caused tension in the political theater. Though initially promising not to interfere with slavery in his inaugural address for fear of losing the support of more than just the Confederate States, Lincoln's loathing of slavery and his vision to change the country and win the war led to the Emancipation Proclamation on New Year's Day, 1863. Earlier, in March of 1862, Congress passed a measure barring slavery in the United States under the President's initiative. Lincoln was at the center of a storm of controversy and conflict before he had the chance to make one leadership decision for the nation, but, with his vision, he would make many that would forever change our great country. The ruling conflicted with previous law and created a rift in thought on already delicate national slavery provisions. "How Abraham Lincoln Defeated `Vox Populi' and Saved the Nation.
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