"If there is not the war, you don't get the great general; if there is not a great occasion, you don't get a great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in a time of peace, no one would have known his name"

This quote by Theodore Roosevelt speaks with the concept that great leaders are frequently substantiated of hard times. Without war, a great general would not be needed, and without a terrific occasion, a terrific statesman would not be required. Roosevelt is recommending that if Abraham Lincoln had resided in a time of peace, he would not have been remembered as a terrific leader. This quote indicates that it is typically the difficult times that bring out the best in individuals, which it is these times that create the fantastic leaders of history. It is a suggestion that even in the darkest of times, there is potential for achievement.