Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States when he took office in 1861. At the beginning of the Civil War, Lincoln’s main goal was to bring the southern states back to the Union. Later, he became more determined to end slavery. At first, Lincoln did not allow African Americans to join the Union Army. Lincoln worried that the border states, or the slave states that remained loyal to the Union, would leave the Union if he allowed this. In January of 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, an order to free all of the slaves in the U. S. This order also allowed African Americans to serve in the Union Army.
Abraham Lincoln wanted to bring states back into the Union with as little disagreement as possible. In 1863, Lincoln proposed a plan that would easily allow states to rejoin to the Union. Many people opposed this plan because they strongly believed that the southern states should be punished for separating from the Union. Congress did not pass this plan. In 1864, Lincoln was re-elected as president. He was shot soon after he began his second term in April of 1865.

Passage 2

from Letter to A. G. Hodges, of Kentucky
by Abraham Lincoln

April 4, 1864

In March, May, and July, 1862, I asked the border states to accept compensated emancipation. In this plan, the government would pay slave owners for their slaves. The slaves would no longer be slaves and would be able to earn wages for themselves. The border states would not agree to this plan. Therefore, I decided to allow blacks to become Union soldiers. I was not confident that this was a good decision. I worried that the border states would leave the Union because of it. However, it has been a year since the decision was made, and the Union has not suffered any unfavorable effects. On the contrary, the nation has gained one hundred and thirty thousand soldiers, seamen, and workers.

Which two ideas do the passages share?

Lincoln's decision to allow African Americans to join the Union Army was beneficial to the Union.

African Americans fought for the Union Army in the Civil War.

Lincoln was elected to a second term as president in 1864.

Lincoln was concerned about angering the border states.

Congress did not support Lincoln's plan, which would allow states to rejoin the