Making Connections

1. Despite loathing slavery, Lincoln embraced emancipation as a war objective late and with great caution. Why?

2. The Emancipation Proclamation did not accomplish the destruction of slavery on its own. How did a war over union bring about the end of slavery? In your answer, consider the direct actions of slaves and Union policymakers as well as indirect factors within the Confederacy.

3. In addition to restoring the Union and destroying slavery, what other significant changes did the war produce on the home front and in the nation’s capital?

4. Brilliant military strategy alone did not determine the outcome of the war; victory also depended on financial resources, material mobilization, diplomacy, and politics. In light of these considerations, explain why the Confederacy believed it would succeed and why it ultimately failed.