The purpose of the Civil War was to restore the Union of the Individual
states and to preserve the Constitution. However, Congress was
determined to make emancipation (freeing of the slaves) the primary
issue of the war. Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, two issues
faced the nation. The first was the freeing of the slaves, which the
Southerners believed was a loss of property. The second issue was the
right of secession (the withdrawal of a state from the Union). The
Constitution was an agreement between the states, so therefore each
state had the right to leave the Union when they pleased. These issues
divided the nation. In February of 1861, the Confederation states of
America was formed. It consisted of South Caroline, North Carolina,
Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Arkansas and Texas. On the 1st of January, 1863, President Lincoln
issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the freedom of slaves.
However, the actual end of slavery did not come until 1865. The Civil
War came to an end on the 1st of April, 1865. With the end of the war
came the concept that the United States is not a group of states but
rather one nation. With the emancipation of the slaves, new issues, such
as civil rights, appeared.
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