{"product_id":"9781612346595","title":"The Age of Lincoln and the Art of American Power, 1848-1876","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlthough Abraham Lincoln was among seven presidents who served during the tumultuous years between the end of the Mexican War and the end of the Reconstruction era, history has not been kind to the others: Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses S. Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn contrast, history sees Abraham Lincoln as a giant in character and deeds. During his presidency, he governed brilliantly, developed the economy, liberated four million people from slavery, reunified the nation, and helped enact the Homestead Act, among other accomplishments. He proved to be not only an outstanding commander in chief but also a skilled diplomat, economist, humanist, educator, and moralist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLincoln achieved that and more because he was a master of the art of American power. He understood that the struggle for hearts and minds was the essence of politics in a democracy. He asserted power mostly by appealing to peopleAes hopes rather than their fears. All along he tried to shape rather than reflect prevailing public opinions that differed from his own. To that end, he was brilliant at bridging the gap between progressives and conservatives by reining in the former and urging on the latter.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis art of power ultimately reflected his unswerving devotion to the Declaration of IndependenceAes principles and the ConstitutionAes institutions, or as he so elegantly expressed it, oto a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.ö\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Potomac Books Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47178251829488,"sku":"9781612346595","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781612346595_p0.jpg?v=1763845104","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781612346595","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}