Lots of people get to high school thinking that the Civil War was about slavery. Then they learn that Lincoln said at the start of the war that his goal was, first and foremost, to preserve the Union. Ah-ha! Lincoln didn't care about freeing the slaves... An easy conclusion to make at a time when you're learning not everything is as it seems.
The writer of this article in the Seattle Times fell into the same trap. I was so happy to read the only comment to his article, obviously from someone who had read through to the end of the Lincoln story. The entire comment is worth reading, but here's an excerpt:
"Finally, although Lincoln originally insisted that his main goal was to preserve
the Union and slavery was a secondary goal, by 1864 the ending of
slavery had become at least as high a priority on his list. When the
Confederates sent representatives to a peace conference in early 1865
at Hampton Roads, Lincoln insisted that there could be no peace without
re-union of the states, and freeing the slaves. Although other men
might have been tempted at the prospect of ending the terrible war at
the expense of the slaves, Lincoln held out for the total solution."
Bravo, rhp6033 from Everett, Washington!
