The American Civil War's roots lie in divergent motivations and deep ideological divisions over slavery and states' rights. Union soldiers fought to preserve the nation, while Confederate soldiers aimed to protect their lifestyle, underpinned by slavery. Influential abolitionists and legislative actions, along with territorial expansion, escalated tensions, leading to a constitutional crisis and ultimately war.
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Union soldiers primarily fought to preserve the United States as one nation, but over time, the goal of ending slavery became more prominent
Confederate soldiers largely fought to maintain their way of life, which was inextricably linked to the institution of slavery
Early abolitionists, often influenced by religious convictions, argued that slavery was morally reprehensible and used works such as "The Selling of Joseph" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to raise awareness
The American Revolution and legislative actions, such as the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1808, reflected a growing antislavery sentiment
The doctrine of Manifest Destiny and the resulting territorial expansion heightened the national debate over slavery
The Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act further intensified sectional tensions over the issue of slavery in new territories
By the eve of the Civil War, the United States grappled with four predominant constitutional interpretations regarding slavery in the territories
Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party contended that Congress had the authority to limit the spread of slavery, while Senator Jefferson Davis and other Southern leaders argued for state sovereignty, contributing to a constitutional crisis
00
The ______ ______ War, lasting from 1861 to 1865, involved complex reasons behind the engagement of its participants.
American
Civil
01
Initially indifferent to the issue of slavery, Union soldiers mainly aimed to keep the ______ ______ intact.
United
States
02
As the war progressed, the Union's objective shifted towards abolishing slavery, partly for ______ reasons and to weaken the Confederacy's workforce.
moral
