Was freeing the slaves a goal of the civil war?

Freeing the slaves was not an initial goal of the Civil War; the primary aim was to preserve the Union. However, as the war progressed, the issue of slavery became increasingly intertwined with the conflict. The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 reframed the war's purpose by making the abolition of slavery a key objective, particularly in the Confederate states. Thus, while it may not have been the original goal, the fight against slavery became a significant outcome of the war.