Why was the victory at Antietam important to the Union?

Question

full and complete sentences please.

Answer 1

The victory at Antietam was important to the Union because
it set the tone for Lincoln to be able to issue the Emancipation Proclamation as a political manuever to stave off his political rivals and Northern Democrats who were tired of the war and for Radical Republicans like Alexander Stephens . Secondly, Lincoln needed a victory not only to issue the Proclamation alone but to keep the Republicans in power who backed Lincoln. Thirdly, the North needed a morale booster and a different perpose but defeat and defeat would not bring anything but despair . Therefore Lincoln could offer a different cause as a booster shot for the Union cause and his own party's political survival when 1864 rolled around the corner. Lastly ,it proved to the Union that Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia were not invincible and this imbued a new confidence in the Union cause that they could win the war. Lincoln 's job was to find the right man to perform the deed.

Answer 2

At that point in time the Union had faced defeat after defeat. The victory at Antietam was not a total victory, it was more of a draw. However Lee decided that he had suffered too many casulties and did not have sufficient men and supplies to remain in Union territory. What it did do was end the Confederate invasion of Maryland, a border state with many Confederate supporters. By turning Lee's army back, Maryland remained under Union control and Washington D.C. was saved from Capture. The fact that the Union army wasn't defeated was a moral victory for the Union and showed that indeed they could stand their own with the Confederates.

Answer 3

At this stage of the Civil War, any victory in the Eastern theatre was important to the Union. After a series of defeats, such as the then recent defeat at Second Manassas - even a strategic victory was as good as a total victory. Another reason why the victory at Antietam was important was that it stopped the invasion of Maryland.