Civil War Dbq

Contest over whether the U.S. should employ a strong central government or strong state governments, contention between slave states and non-slave states, and many other concerns led to the investment of a total war within the United States. Immediately after Abraham Lincoln was elected president, a number of southern states seceded from the Union, forming the Confederacy, which incited the nation’s bloodiest battle to date. Throughout the entire civil war, Lincoln consistently focused on his primary goal of preserving the Union while also introducing a mid-war goal of abolishing slavery..

Entering the civil war, Lincoln had specific issues he wanted to address during his presidency. Within weeks of Lincoln’s election, the north and the

Lincoln introduced his new goal of reuniting the Union under a law that prohibited the act of slavery. This redirection of goals sparked a new interest of war supporters and increased participation in the Union army. The new army consisted of many former “slaves [who] fought in Yankee blue against their old masters” and new anti slavery activists. This was a necessary shift because the newfound participation was one of the integral parts of the Union’s success. In a letter written in response to Horace Greeley, written a year into the war, Lincoln expressed his willingness to adjust his goals based on the repercussions of his actions addressing his primary focus of preserving the Union. Lincoln expressed that if his plans were not working or benefiting his campaign to unify the states then he would “do less” Lincoln was willing to modify his strategy of reaching his main goal because the reunion of the southern and the northern states was an imperative aspect of building a strong country and remaining a global superpower. This paramount shift in goals and his display of potential revision were direct demonstrations of how Lincoln’s goals were not completely fixed from the start of the

In the beginning of the war, his motivation was founded in the “belief that the south had no right to secede” and to counteract the south’s decision they declared war. Although the purpose for the war had changed from solely correcting the south’s decision to fighting for equality and abolishing slavery, Lincoln “remained steadfastly true throughout the war to his basic objective[s]” of reuniting the Union as a whole and keeping the United States together as a united force. On January 1, 1863 Lincoln enacted the Emancipation Proclamation which set free all slaves held by force in the rebellious states. This spiked participation in the Union army which was an imperative part of the success of the north. Lincoln enacted this policy knowing it would increase the Union’s chances of winning the war to assist him in reaching his consistent goal of reuniting and rehabilitating the Union including the seceding southern states. Lincoln was willing to employ different policies in order to establish a stronger force to reach his primary goal. Nearly a year after employing the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address which was a pivotal point in the Union’s support and motivation for the war. This incredible speech reinforced the moral of human equality and revitalized the Union participants’ interest in “the great task remaining before us.” This