Final answer:
Lincoln utilized his presidential powers boldly by imposing a naval blockade, expanding the army's size, deploying troops without formal war declaration, and suspending habeas corpus, actions which pushed the boundaries of constitutional authority during the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abraham Lincoln made bold use of Presidential powers during his tenure, especially in the context of the Civil War. Among the significant actions he took were:
- Unilaterally proclaiming a naval blockade of the South, which was intended to impair the Confederacy's ability to maintain the war effort.
- Increasing the size of the regular army, an action that traditionally would require congressional approval.
- Sending troops into battle without formally asking Congress for a declaration of war, thereby operating under a de facto state of war based on the existing insurrection.
- Suspending the writ of habeas corpus, which allowed for the detention of individuals deemed as threats to national security without immediate judicial review.
These measures, while seen as necessary under the circumstances of national emergency and military necessity, were also regarded as stretching or exceeding the constitutional powers allocated to the Presidency at the time.