Did we fight the civil war to end slavery?

Question

Or was that an unintended consequence?

Answer 1

Yes and no. The original states to secede from the Union, because when Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, was elected President, he ran on the platform to forbid the expansion of slavery to the territories out west. There were also economic considerations. Slavery was not the direct reason for the civil war, but because of slavery, the south's economy would crumble if slavery were abolished. It is interesting to note, that most of the major battles fought the fist two years of the civil war were fought in the north and not the south. The Confederates were the first to use offensive actions, until Sherman marched down south to Atlanta. The Confederate leaders were much like the Conservatives of today; send the other peoples sons but not theirs. When Sherman Marched toward Atlanta, the higher ranking confederates ran, leaving their subordinates without leadership.

Answer 2

This is an extremely complicated question. We didn't fight the war to end slavery. The war was fought to prevent pro-slavery Southern states from seceding from the Union - the northern states of which were anti-slavery. Lincoln never proposed any FEDERAL laws regarding slavery, and didn't intend to change slavery laws where slavery was already legal, but, he did say in a a famous 1858 speech (the House Divided Speech) that he envisioned slavery ultimately becoming completely abolished.

Much political battle revolved around the fact that the country's borders were expanding westward - and would these new territories have slavery or not?

Both sides agreed that without the expansion of slavery, slavery would eventually die out.

the Southern states feared losing control of the Federal government to anti-slavery forces, and the northern states feared that the slave power already controlled the government - and this brought the crisis to a head. Disagreements were over the morality of slavery, the scope of democracy and the economic merits of free labor v. slave plantations caused the Whig and "Know Nothing" parties to completely collapse, and new ones to arise. States' rights, economics, and modernization were also factors.

Answer 3

Unintended consequence. The Civil War was fought to preserve the Union (union being the North and South halves of the growing United States.

Answer 4

I agree with Kevin M. The war was mostly to keep the country whole. The slave issue came later. What a lot of people forget is the North also held slaves. But the northern slaves were not all black, they were white from Europe. They were indentured servants who had to work for the people who brought them here. The price was so high they never got it payed off.But they still were better off then the Blacks in the south.But even Lincoln was worried what would happen to the South when they no longer had the cheap labor. We still have that problem today among all races,

Answer 5

Most historians will say states rights was the main issue. That was the reason the south fired on Ft. Sumter. Ammancipation didn't come up to later in the war as it drug out. It was a ralling point for the north.

No doubt it was an issue of the times and was maybe the only way it could have been accomplished, but not the real reason for the start of the war.

Answer 6

Side issue.
It was about states rights & the reaction to the attack on Ft. Sumter. True, Slavery had a lot to do with the the states spliting up but the whole emancipation thing came not til 1863. Many in the north could care less about slavery. The Draft riots in NYC killed hundreds of blacks because poor irish & native whites did not want to fight. This was recreated in the film "Gangs of NY." Even Lincoln is reputed to have prefered to re turn slaves to Africa, rather than make them equal.

Answer 7

Frankly, no. The Civil War had to do with "states rights". Southern states believed they had the right to secede from the union. After all, they had voted themselves IN to the union so they saw no reason why they should not be able to vote themselves out again. To be honest with you I happen to believe the South was correct in this belief even though I'm glad Lincoln did what he did.
The issue of slavery had alot more to do with
a: Manpower. Giving blacks their freedom also meant inducing them to take up arms for the Union. Successful.
b: Trying to stir up civil unrest in the South. Not successful.
The issue of slavery wasn't a critical one for Lincoln. States rights was front and center.

Answer 8

The Union, or Northern states, fought the civil war to preserve the nation, enforce the spirit of the Bill of Rights, and to abolish the blight of slavery.

Conversely, the Confederacy, or southern states, fought to assert state's rights and prevent federal government imposition of the abolitionist movement.

Answer 9

Specifically, we all went to war because the South succeeded from the Union. The end of slavery was a bonus, because the North had won. Now, slave vs free states was the root of the confict.

Answer 10

The initial reason was because the South seceded so we fought to preserve the Union. Had it been to end slavery, Lincoln would have issue the Emancipation Proclamation way back in 1861.