Lincoln understood the prevailing feelings both within his party and within the country, and he was able to adroitly position himself so that his policies would be met with the least amount of resistance while having the greatest possible positive effect. Kearns Goodwin highlights how Lincoln’s skills as an orator, a politician, and a handler of men helped lead the United States through this tumultuous historical period. The second part, “Master Among Men,” describes Abraham Lincoln’s time as president, from his first act of forming a cabinet made up primarily of his rivals for the Republication nomination to his assassination following the Union victory in the Civil War and the establishment of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. This issue played a crucial role in both Lincoln’s election and the South’s subsequent secession. Most notably, as the United States acquired new territory, it had to decide whether slavery would be legal in the new states. The first of the book, titled “The Rivals,” also outlines the forces shaping American politics in the 19th century. Chase, and Edward Bates were much more well-known and established in public life than Abraham Lincoln was in the mid-19th century, Kearns Goodwin illuminates the faults that kept each of them from gaining the nomination.

She introduces Abraham Lincoln as well as his contemporary rivals for the Republication nomination. How to cite Team of rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin APA citation APA. Of all the books I’ve read about the 16 th president of the U.S., Team of Rivals is the best. Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincolns political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer. Kearns Goodwin begins by setting the scene for Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign.