Slavery DBQ
Teresa Swinehart
Mrs. Plimley
AP US History
16 January 2015
DBQ
The Civil War began in 1861 due to many political issues between the Northern states, the Union, and the Southern states, the Confederates. Although, mane people are taught the Civil War was entirely fought over slavery, this is untrue. The North sought to regain control of the South and to keep the Union together, while the South had no interest in the Union and wanted to keep their way of life the same as it had been for generations. The status of African American’s during the war gradually became the major issue between the Northern states and Southern states, these conflicts shaped the goals for the outcome of the war in 1865 and the years of Reconstruction to follow. Major General Benjamin Butler questioned whether slaves that had escaped their masters and come “within my lines for protection” (Doc A) should be returned to their masters in the South or help as contraband of war. “Are these men, women, and children slaves? Are they free?”(Doc A) The actions of these African Americans forced the federal government to confront slavery as a whole. In 1864, the Republican Party platform said “That as slavery was the cause, and now constitutes the strength of this rebellion.” (Doc D) This shows how slavery did not start as the main cause of the Civil War but over time, became one of the most apparent reason to fight. One of President Lincoln’s plans for African Americans was to colonize them somewhere in Central America. (Doc B) African Americans did not feel the need to waste the efforts to recolonize themselves in a completely foreign part of the world due to the amount of wasted money and contributions that they would waste doing so. African Americans wished to serve in the military, they wanted to take a stance against slavery and help fight against the South. In 1863, Lincoln’s stand on slavery shifted, he started to see qualities in Blacks that he had not noticed before as they fought with
Mrs. Plimley
AP US History
16 January 2015
DBQ
The Civil War began in 1861 due to many political issues between the Northern states, the Union, and the Southern states, the Confederates. Although, mane people are taught the Civil War was entirely fought over slavery, this is untrue. The North sought to regain control of the South and to keep the Union together, while the South had no interest in the Union and wanted to keep their way of life the same as it had been for generations. The status of African American’s during the war gradually became the major issue between the Northern states and Southern states, these conflicts shaped the goals for the outcome of the war in 1865 and the years of Reconstruction to follow. Major General Benjamin Butler questioned whether slaves that had escaped their masters and come “within my lines for protection” (Doc A) should be returned to their masters in the South or help as contraband of war. “Are these men, women, and children slaves? Are they free?”(Doc A) The actions of these African Americans forced the federal government to confront slavery as a whole. In 1864, the Republican Party platform said “That as slavery was the cause, and now constitutes the strength of this rebellion.” (Doc D) This shows how slavery did not start as the main cause of the Civil War but over time, became one of the most apparent reason to fight. One of President Lincoln’s plans for African Americans was to colonize them somewhere in Central America. (Doc B) African Americans did not feel the need to waste the efforts to recolonize themselves in a completely foreign part of the world due to the amount of wasted money and contributions that they would waste doing so. African Americans wished to serve in the military, they wanted to take a stance against slavery and help fight against the South. In 1863, Lincoln’s stand on slavery shifted, he started to see qualities in Blacks that he had not noticed before as they fought with