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9: African Americans and the Civil War

  • Page ID
    22730
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    • 9.1: Introduction
      This page discusses President Lincoln's evolving stance on slavery during the Civil War. Initially focused on preserving the Union, he viewed immediate abolition as too radical. However, the involvement of African Americans in the war and pressure from abolitionists influenced him to reconsider. By 1865, Lincoln supported Reconstruction plans and extended some voting rights to black men, acknowledging that the war had become a fight for both emancipation and citizenship.
    • 9.2: The Election of 1860 and Secession
      This page discusses the 1860 presidential election's divisive nature, especially within the Democratic Party, leading to candidates Stephen Douglas and John C. Breckinridge. Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, won with under 40% of the popular vote amid opposition splits, prompting Southern states, starting with South Carolina, to secede in support of a Confederate identity centered on slavery.
    • 9.3: A War for Union? (1861—1862)
    • 9.4: War for Freedom (1863—1865)
    • 9.5: Black Soldiers and Union War Victories (1864—1865)
    • 9.6: Primary Sources


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