Border Choices Multiple Choices

This passage examines why Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did not free enslaved people in border states. Lincoln wanted to weaken the Confederacy without pushing loyal border states to leave the Union. His strategy freed enslaved people only in Confederate states, keeping the Union together. Over time, the Proclamation still became a major step toward nationwide freedom. It paved the way for the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery everywhere.

Reading about Lincoln’s strategy helps students practice analyzing political decision-making. They learn to distinguish between immediate and long-term effects. Vocabulary such as “strategy,” “border states,” and “amendment” strengthens academic language. It also develops comprehension skills by requiring readers to connect government policies with war outcomes. This improves critical thinking by showing how leaders balance different priorities during crises.