Which description best captures Abraham Lincoln's approach to slavery before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation?

A.Lincoln was himself pro-slavery, but thought that states should have the right to choose whether or not slavery was legal.
B.Lincoln was indifferent on the issue of slavery.
C.Lincoln was willing to free slaves, but his top priority was to save the Union.
D.Lincoln was an abolitionist who wanted to outlaw slavery by any means necessary.
I think it is C....?

Right.

Thank you

You're welcome.

had the same thing its b

ITS C

To determine the correct answer, let's examine Abraham Lincoln's approach to slavery before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lincoln's approach to slavery before signing the Emancipation Proclamation was primarily focused on preserving the Union. The correct description would be:

C. Lincoln was willing to free slaves, but his top priority was to save the Union.

To arrive at this conclusion, we can look at historical evidence and Lincoln's own statements and actions. Lincoln firmly believed that slavery was morally wrong, but he also recognized that addressing the issue of slavery directly could potentially fracture the Union and lead to the secession of Southern states. Therefore, his primary goal was to preserve the Union and maintain national unity.

One of his famous quotes speaks to this approach: "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it, and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that."

In summary, Lincoln prioritized saving the Union over immediate abolition of slavery, although he was willing to take steps to free the slaves if it would serve this larger objective.