American Civil War Dbq

The American Civil War was based almost entirely off of the Union and Confederacy’s differences in opinion towards slavery and the actions, primarily executed by Abraham Lincoln, that occurred in response to the disagreement. Between the years of 1800 and 1866, many Southerners were angered not only by the election of Lincoln, a Republican, but also by the increase in abolitionist feelings in the North. This caused a large amount of Southern states to secede from the Union and create what they called the Confederacy. In this sense, the idea of slavery hugely caused and impacted the course of the war. Fu, during the Reconstruction Era post-war, the North attempted to eliminate anti-black feelings in the South, thereby proving that African …show more content…
The purpose of the Act of Confederate Congress document was to allow unwilling slaves to be used as troops fighting against their chance for freedom. The document was created at that time because there was a shortage of Southerners willing to fight for the Confederacy despite the strength of the military leaders (doc 6). In the North, however, freed blacks were allowed to fight willingly and passionately against the South, as is shown in the creation of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the first black troops to enter the war. In fact, when being forced into work by rebels, many slaves escaped into the lines of Union soldiers, as is discussed by Major General Benjamin F. Butler. The point of view of Major General Butler, the creator of the report to the secretary of war document, was that of a Union military leader unsure of what action to take in regards to the blacks in his lines during the Civil War (doc 1). Thomas Nast, a cartoonist, shows the admiration of black soldiers in the war that should be happening; he is attempting to state that, after all, blacks have lost just as much in the war as anyone else, and should be appreciated equally. The intended audience of the Harper’s Weekly artwork was for the racists, …show more content…
For example, Lincoln justifies his decisions on slavery, such as the Emancipation Proclamation in which he attempted to free all slaves in rebelling states, in document 3, writing that he would do anything in order to save the Union, however much of an effect it may have on slaves. He remains publicly impartial to everything excluding the survival of the United States of America. This shows how much of an effect slavery truly had on the war; one small change in it could save or destroy the country. The purpose of the Open Letter to Horace Greeley was to convince the public that Lincoln was entirely unbiased when it came to slavery and that he made decisions solely based on what was best for the preservation of the Union. The document was written at that time because the president was soon going to release a statement, the Emancipation Proclamation, that would free many slaves. He wanted to convince the public that his actions would benefit the Union and that he did not have an ulterior motive (doc 3). The idea of the importance of promising the slaves freedom continues when Lincoln publishes yet another letter in 1863, saying that if black men are willing to fight in order to keep the United States together, they should be allowed freedom as their

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