Question

Which is the best inference about Lincoln’s assessment of his presidency?

A.

Lincoln believed he was too passive to be president.

B.

Lincoln preferred reacting to problems rather than preventing them.

C.

Lincoln did not think that his term of office was valuable.

D.

Lincoln thought he could have been a more decisive decision-maker.

adapted from Lincoln the Great

by Wilfred W. McClay

We too will have our own Lincoln, or Lincolns, and there is good reason to believe that ours will be as partial as anyone else’s. But we should not be content with such easy relativism1. Out of respect to the man, we should at least try to recover a sense of both the grandeur and the contingency2 of the history that he lived through and helped to shape. To see a statesman in full, and thereby learn something about the nature of statesmanship, one needs to see him not only in the overly clear light of retrospection, but in the shadowy and inconclusive light of the conditions he faced as they were unfolding. “I claim not to have controlled events,” Lincoln mused during the course of his presidency, “but confess plainly that events have controlled me.”

Answer 1

Lincoln's best inference about his presidency indicates that he often felt events controlled him, rather than vice versa. He balanced many challenges with a pragmatic and strategic leadership, especially shown in his Cabinet appointments and the Emancipation Proclamation. His presidency was reactive yet decisively aimed at preserving the Union.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best inference about Abraham Lincoln's assessment of his presidency is that he felt that events often controlled him, rather than him controlling events. This perspective can be gleaned from his quote, “I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.” This shows a recognition of the reactive nature of his presidency in the face of the immense challenges that occurred during his term, particularly the Civil War and the issue of slavery. Lincoln's ability to adapt to events as they unfolded, make critical Cabinet appointments, and navigate the secession crisis with both firmness and flexibility reflect a balanced and pragmatic leadership style.

Despite criticisms about his passive nature, such as his reluctance to engage in controversial statements on slavery or secession before taking office, Lincoln's assembled Cabinet and his strategic approach to policy, including the Emancipation Proclamation, demonstrate an underlying decisiveness. He had to manage competing interests within his own party and appease border states, without aggravating the secessionist sentiment, aiming to maintain the Union above all.

Therefore, the assertion that Lincoln believed he was too passive (A) or preferred to react rather than prevent problems (B) can be countered by his proactive and strategic moves as a statesman. Likewise, the claim that he did not value his term (C) or wished to have been more decisive (D) does not align with the historical evidence that paints him as a president who carefully weighed options and made crucial decisions amidst a fractious period in U.S. history.

Answer 2

A

Step-by-step explanation:

I hope this helps

The reason this is the best answer is found at the very end of the passage. Lincoln said that, events have controlled me." If he had been "master of his own fate," that would mean that he would have believed he could control the events in his life. But he believed the opposite, that events had controlled him. Therefore (A) is the best answer.