The abolition of slavery is an important historical event arising from the social and political changes of the Civil War. The end of slavery occurred with a series of events that included the definition of the war goals. Furthermore, the prohibition of slavery was directly influenced by enslaved people’s aspirations for freedom and civil rights. In general, slavery abolition is a significant outcome of the American Civil War and one of the most critical events in U.S. history.
The Civil War caused the end of slavery due to several factors and events. Primarily, the abolition of slavery was facilitated by the movement of enslaved people toward personal liberty. The participation of African Americans in the war on the side of the Union is crucial in this regard. Moreover, an important event for the end of slavery was Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Overall, the enslaved people’s pursuit of freedom, combined with the Union’s declaration of slavery prohibition, were the main reasons for the end of slavery.
The prohibition of slavery was one of the significant results of the Civil War. However, in a letter to Horace Greeley, Abraham Lincoln stated that the primary purpose of the war was to preserve the Union by any means necessary. Therefore, the slavery prohibition was not a primary objective of the war. Nevertheless, abolishing slavery was suggested as a proper step if it was required to preserve the Union. Thus, Lincoln accepted slavery abolition as an objective of the war based on the necessity of this step to achieve the primary goals.
Despite the abolition of slavery due to the Civil War, issues of limited rights for various populations persisted. For instance, voting rights for African Americans were practically wholly ignored until the Fifteenth Amendment was passed in 1870. However, many formerly enslaved people’s civil rights and freedoms were severely violated. Thus, the Civil War ended slavery, but it could not eliminate the issues of discrimination and human rights violations.
The American Civil War represents an important historical event for the United States as it directly influenced this country’s development. Despite the initial focus on preserving the Union, the prohibition of slavery was one of the most important results of the war. Overall, the abolition of slavery resulted from the enslaved people’s struggle for freedom and rights combined with the political decisions of the political leaders.