Final answer:
Abraham Lincoln's position on colonization by August 1862 included supporting a cautious approach towards emancipation and the voluntary colonization of formerly enslaved people, but this lacked broad support. With the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln moved toward ending slavery as a military necessity and strategic move to preserve the Union.
Step-by-step explanation:
Until August 1862, Abraham Lincoln public position on colonization indicated a cautious and gradual approach. He prioritized the preservation of the Union over immediate abolition of slavery. Lincoln considered voluntary colonization of the formerly enslaved to Central America or Africa, which lacked support from both Black leaders and abolitionists. In response to Congressional pressures and as a measure of military necessity, the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation issued after the Union victory at Antietam was a strategic move which stated that slaves in areas still rebelling as of January 1, 1863, would be forever free.