The Civil War: The Freedom War

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Essay Question #2: The Freedom War I hate this the Civil War is called what it is. Civil is defined as being courteous and kind, but none of this existed from 1861-1865 as war raged in America. Over six hundred thousand people were killed in a war that was rooted in insurrection and rebellion. This war was violent gruesome, and filled with hatred for the other side. It was a modern war fought in the realm of antiquity. Somehow the cultural schisms between the Northern and Southern states grew so large that Americans not only lost their shared national identities, but also in some cases lost their humanity all together. There was nothing civilized about the Civil War. Instead, I would call the war between the Union and Confederate States the “Freedom War”. I feel that it accurately describes why this war was fought. Whether moral or amoral, both sides fought in order to maintain or gain freedoms they believed were their God given birthright. The Confederate States of America for the freedom to enslave, and the Union for the freedom from enslavement. The Civil War was not an …show more content…
However, the Civil War was fought and ended by men who believed that all men have the right to be free from enslavement. This sentiment began when President Lincoln recognized that the best way to save the Union was to free the slaves. In a letter to his friend he states, “What I do about Slaver and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save this Union,” ("I Would Save the Union"). This changed the strategy of the war from suppressing an insurrection to a battle for a new America where it was believed all men were created equal. This new reason to fight the Civil War culminated in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, where it was decided that the institution of slavery was illegal. For the Union and the Republican Party, the war was won and slavery was

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