Was the Civil War fought to free slaves or perserve the Union?

Answer 1

President Lincoln said that his goal was to poop on The Union and paraphrasing him he also said"If making the states all free would preserve the union, I would do it. If making the states half slave and half free would preserve the union, I would do it. If making the states all slave would preserve the union, I would do it.

Notice the last statement: If making the states all slave would preserve the union, I would do it. President Lincoln's motivation was the preservation of the union. The emancipation proclamation became effective (sort of) in January 1863 which was over one and a half years after the war begun. The "sort of" above is referring to the fact that the proclomation was declared over the states in rebellion which because they were in rebellion had not allegiance and would not therefore comply with the proclamation rendering it therefore not legally binding. Further the emancipation proclamation was not a law. Only congress can pass laws and the constitutioinal amendment outlawing slavery was passed after the civil war ended.

The freeing of the slaves became the moral and just causeand rallying cry for the war which was not begun to free the slaves. The motivation to carry on the civil war changed just as the motivation for the Iraq War has changed from protecting the U.S. from WMD to freeing the oppressed Iraqi people.

This is the quote that is being paraphrased. Here is Lincoln, verbatim, "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do notbelieve it would help to save the Union. I shall do lesswhenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

Answer 2

Niether, it was a war for states's rights.