Final answer:
Abraham Lincoln initially intended to allow slavery to continue in the South to preserve the Union, but his views on abolition changed over the course of the Civil War.
He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which freed enslaved people in the rebel states. The legal end of slavery came with the 13th Amendment in 1865.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abraham Lincoln's stance on slavery evolved over the course of the Civil War. Initially, Lincoln intended to allow slavery to continue in the South in order to preserve the Union.
He believed that immediate abolition would be too radical and unconstitutional. However, as the war progressed, Lincoln's views on abolition changed and he issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which freed enslaved people in the states that had rebelled against the Union.
This shift in stance was influenced by multiple factors, including military considerations and the impact on diplomacy.
The legal end of slavery came with the 13th Amendment, which was ratified in 1865, and while it was a significant step, whether or not it was inevitable is a matter of debate.