Abraham Lincoln is widely believed to be the fabled liberator of slaves. However, Lincoln showed time and time again that he only cared about the fate of blacks as it served him and the interests of his administration. The major objective of President Lincoln’s administration was to preserve and sustain the Union. The southern states’ insurgence started as a result of disputes over states rights and representation in Congress; it was coincidence that most of the disputes in congress revolved around slavery. Lincoln’s political career was based on the opposition of the expansion of slavery. This theme was Lincoln’s first step towards ending slavery. From the time of Lincoln’s return to politics up to the time he was elected president, Lincoln gave several speeches where the central issue was slavery.
During the Civil War, President …show more content…
The Emancipation Proclamation effected many groups and changed the character of the war. The Emancipation Proclamation changed the direction of the union war effort. Lincoln did not want slavery to expand into the western territories. Lincoln’s proclamation declared forever free the slaves in those confederate states still in rebellion. Abraham Lincoln’s goal was also to strengthen the moral cause of the Union at home and abroad. After learning of the proclamation, many slaves fled to the Union armies, thus leaving the plantations without worker. The ratification of the thirteenth Amendment of 1864, freed slaves without compensating their owners. Now, the union army was fighting to end slavery as well as to save the union. Slaves became free when union forces occupied the confederate territory. Free African Americans and escaped slaves enlisted in the union army. About 200,000 joined the Union army and nearly 40,000 lost their lives. Twenty-one were to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for