Team Of Rivals

Team Of Rivals explains why Abraham Lincoln rose above his political rivals despite their stronger reputations and how he used empathy to unite not just his enemies, but an entire country.

As soon as his father determined Abe was capable, he put him to hard labor on the farm, where he chopped down trees, dug wells and plowed fields.

Lincoln’s father didn’t care that Abe wanted to educate himself. Being illiterate himself, he couldn’t see the benefits of learning. He thought it would only distract Abe from chores. He was so opposed to his son’s reading that he even burned Lincoln’s books.

One trait he did pass down to his son was his love of storytelling. Abraham always kept his audience engaged and entertained with pointed anecdotes, humorous tales, and inspiring parables.

Though we don’t know much about his mother, Nancy Hanks, she was a warm and loving soul who taught Abraham to read and write. Sadly, Lincoln would only experience her loving encouragement until age nine, when she died after eating a contaminated dairy product. Less than ten years later, his sister Sarah died during childbirth. He even lost the love of his life, Ann Rutledge, in 1835.

These difficulties didn’t break Lincoln’s spirit, but hardened him and spurred him on to make something great of himself. The lesson is to let our challenges make us better, not bitter. In 1837, he moved to Springfield, Illinois where he worked relentlessly on his career in law and politics.

Compared to the other candidates, Lincoln’s career in politics was relatively brief. So, who were these “rivals” and what superpowers did they possess? William Henry Seward was an expert in the political arena with his rousing senate speeches making headlines across the country. He had an exuberant and charismatic personality. This made a great recipe for success. Salmon Chase was the great “trailblazer” for the anti-slavery cause. He made a name for himself by defending escaped slaves and fighting against the Fugitive Slave Law. Edward Bates was one of the most esteemed candidates for nomination with an impressive track record. He was a veteran from the War of 1812 and one of the men responsible for drafting the constitution of Missouri. In contrast to that, all Lincoln had to offer was a humble career in law and two failed bids at the Illinois State Senate. Unsurprisingly, he initially wasn’t a front-runner for the Republican nomination. It was one David against three Goliaths. However, while his rivals were overly confident and made some enemies within their own party, Lincoln remained clear and consistent in his anti-slavery stance. Instead of antagonizing people, throughout his entire career, he made friends wherever he went. His persistence…