What were the key events leading to the formation of the Confederacy and Abraham Lincoln's response?

The key events leading to the formation of the Confederacy and Abraham Lincoln's response can be traced back to several significant occurrences.

1. Election of Abraham Lincoln: In November 1860, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican candidate who opposed the expansion of slavery, was elected as the 16th President of the United States. His victory alarmed the Southern states, as they feared that his presidency would threaten their way of life and the institution of slavery.

2. Secession of Southern States: Following Lincoln's election, several Southern states, starting with South Carolina in December 1860, began to secede from the Union. By February 1861, seven states had formed the Confederate States of America, also known as the Confederacy, with Jefferson Davis as their president.

3. Fort Sumter: In April 1861, tensions escalated when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, a federal fort located in Charleston, South Carolina. This marked the beginning of the American Civil War, as Lincoln called for volunteers to suppress the rebellion and preserve the Union.

4. Lincoln's Response: In his response to the formation of the Confederacy, Lincoln adopted a firm stance to preserve the Union. He declared secession illegal and refused to recognize the Confederacy as a separate nation. Lincoln emphasized that his primary goal was to maintain the Union, rather than abolish slavery, at least initially.

5. Emancipation Proclamation: As the Civil War progressed and the Union faced challenges, Lincoln's views on slavery evolved. In 1862, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be set free. This proclamation shifted the focus of the war towards ending slavery and provided a moral purpose for the Union's cause.

Overall, the key events leading to the formation of the Confederacy and Abraham Lincoln's response were the election of Lincoln, the secession of Southern states, the attack on Fort Sumter, and Lincoln's determination to preserve the Union, which eventually led to the Emancipation Proclamation.