Explanation:
During the Civil War, the choice to permit slavery in the border states was complicated and affected by several issues, including:
1. **Strategic Considerations:** Because of their resources and geographic location, the border states of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri were strategically significant to both the Union and the Confederacy. By allowing slavery, these states were kept from seceding and joining the Confederacy, providing a certain level of stability and support for the Union within their borders.
2. **Economic Estimates:** The goal of Union leaders and President Abraham Lincoln was to maintain border state allegiance to the Union. They thought that if these states outlawed slavery, it would cause them to secede, which would worsen the Union's position in the conflict. 3. **Dependence on the Economy:** The border states possessed substantial economic interests related to slavery, notably in agriculture. Slave labor was essential to the economies of many slave-owning governments, as they provided labor for the cultivation of crops like hemp and tobacco. Slavery's sudden abolition might have resulted in economic instability and opposition from influential groups in these governments. 4. **Public View:** There were differences in opinion on slavery among the residents of the border states; some firmly supported the institution's abolition, while others did not. Union officials had to make choices that would preserve the general support for the Union cause while navigating these intricate relationships. In conclusion, a variety of strategic, political, economic, and social considerations led to the decision to permit slavery in the border states during the Civil War, with Union authorities placing a higher priority on the Union's continued existence and stability in these crucial states.