historical question

[flea]

I've been reading about the Civil War lately, and yesterday was Confederate Memorial Day, on which the Confederate Constitution, the only copy of which my employer owns, is displayed.

One thing I haven't yet read about or figured out is why Lincoln was so intent on preserving the Union. Why not let the South secede? Was there debate about it at the time? So far all I have seen is that Lincoln considered secession to be rebellion, and the Confederacy started hostilites. Did Lincoln just not expect things to go on s long and so damagingly?

(Be gentle; remember, my historical period starts in 5000 BCE.)

Comments

[aimeejmc.livejournal.com]

Everything Jane said, plus, the secession had it's roots at the first Continental Congress. Half of the Constitution were things that the South wanted, that the North didn't. But the North had a lower bottom line than the South. The North just wanted to keep the states unified, and would do anything, and subsequently did almost everything the South wanted, to keep the states together.