Civil War Test 2 (Rewrite)

Eleanor Beshearse
3rd Period

The relationship between an event and the direct result is known as a causeand-effect relationship. The debate over the expansion of slavery led to the
secession of the southern states, which in turn led to the Civil War. The south was
fighting to secede and form their own nation while the north was fighting to
maintain the nation they had already created. Abraham Lincoln was the President
of the North, also know as the Union. Many attribute the ultimate freeing of the
slaves to Lincoln giving him the title of the Great Emancipator. It was neither his
idea nor his intent to free the slaves. Lincoln does not deserve the title of Great
Emancipator. He saw freeing the slaves as a necessary political and military tactic
in order to win the war and preserve the Union.

In your hands my dissatisfied fellow countrymen and not mine is the

momentous issue of Civil War... I shall have the most solemn oath the preserve,
protect, and defend the county, said Lincoln in his first inaugural address. He had
neither intent nor desire to free the slaves, his only goal was to protect, preserve,
and defend the Union. If freeing the slaves would guarantee the success of the
Union, then Lincoln would do it, but only if it was absolutely necessary. There
were many reasons Lincoln decided to free the slave for many reasons, but they

were all political.

Many people believe that because he issued the Emancipation Proclamation,

he ended slavery. They saw it as something he believed to be morally wrong. In
reality however, he had nothing against slavery. He understood that slavery had
become an important part of the United States economy and had no intention of
putting an end to it. It was only when the Confederacy began pulling ahead that he
even considered emancipation, something others had been fighting for years. He
saw it as a political and military tactic.

Issuing the Emancipation proclamation would achieve many things, none of

which include freeing slaves. Emancipation means to set free from legal, social, or
political restrictions. The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the states
of rebellion. It did not free the slaves in the border states or states that remained
loyal the Union. This meant that if states rejoined the Union, they would be able to
keep their slaves. The states that were in rebellion are not going to follow an
executive order given by their enemy. Therefore, issuing the Emancipation
Proclamation did not initially free any slaves at all. How can Lincoln be
considered the Great Emancipator if he did not free any slaves?

However, by issuing the Emancipation proclamation, Lincoln pleased the

radical republicans that were protesting for emancipation. This meant that their

efforts could be put towards the rest of the war instead of protesting the
government. He also saw feeing the slaves a military gain. All the newly freed
slaves could come and fight for the union, giving them the troops they desperately
needed. Up until this point, the Union had been fighting what they believed a
pointless war. Freeing the slaves would give them the incentive they needed to
fight harder and win the war.
Abraham Lincolns only goal during the civil war was to preserver the Union
no matter what. His efforts did eventually secure a win for the Union, all thanks to
the Emancipation Proclamation. This was a very effective political tactic for
Lincoln to take, but it does not award him the title of The Great Emancipator.
Under the Emancipation Proclamation, no slaves we actually freed. IT was only
when congress passed the 13th amendment that slaves were finally free, and even
then for a while, were they really free?