Final answer:
President Abraham Lincoln's original goal at the beginning of the Civil War was the preservation of the Union, not the immediate abolition of slavery. His policies and goals evolved during the war, eventually embracing emancipation as a strategic measure and focusing on reunification during the Reconstruction era.
Step-by-step explanation:
At the beginning of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln's original goal was the preservation of the Union, not the abolition of slavery. Lincoln, who personally abhorred slavery, believed it should not expand into new territories but did not seek its immediate abolition, considering that too radical and unconstitutional. Initially, he even believed that freed black people should be resettled outside the United States, and did not advocate for their citizenship rights in the early stages of the war.
However, as the war continued, Lincoln's stance evolved. By mid-1862, when Union military efforts were struggling, he began to consider emancipation of the slaves as a strategic war measure. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and subsequent recruitment of African American soldiers changed the character of the war and helped to prevent British support for the Confederacy, effectively adding a moral cause to the Union's fight.
Ultimately, Lincoln's policies during the Civil War were directed by his desire to reunify the country. His Reconstruction plans aimed at quickly reintegrating the Southern states back into the Union with a generous approach, though this leniency was criticized by some for not prioritizing civil rights for formerly enslaved individuals.