Research Paper on:
Power of the Presidency: Lincoln

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
the powers of the President over time as they relate to the Constitution. While one can well argue that the Constitution actually allowed for very few powers for the President  of the United States, the changing times apparently led to situations, not foreseen by the founding fathers, that ultimately put the President in a position where he would garner more  powers than were previously allowed. One such President, and perhaps the first President to do so, was Abraham Lincoln. The following paper examines how he altered and expanded the power  of the presidency. Power of the Presidency: Lincoln In one particular work, titled Lincolns Constitution, the author notes how, "In the  Civil War, the Constitution was placed under pressure that it had never seen before and has not seen since...the Civil War experience illuminates the deepest, most critical constitutional issues" and  it does so in relationship to an event and a set of circumstances that have been see again (Farber, 2004; 1). It seems that prior to Lincoln there was little  need for such a strain to be put upon the office of President, or the need for expanded roles. Many still argue today that he well stepped outside of his  role as President and even infringed on the civil rights of the people, but there are also many who argue such steps were necessary. Or, as another author puts it,  "Lincoln is both revered and reviled" (McShane, 2004; 160). In relationship to Lincoln and Commander-in-chief roles, as they pertain to the Constitution, it is noted that "Article II, Section  2 of the Constitution specifies that the president is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces-without saying anything about what this actually means. On the other hand, Article I, Section