The Civil War was fought between the American states. The argument was over the right of the states to make their own decisions, including whether or not to own slaves. Michigan rallied behind President Abraham Lincoln and remained loyal to the United States. As many as 90,000 Michiganders fought for the Union in the Civil War. More than 14,000 gave their lives fighting for the causes they believed in.
In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln, freed the slaves still under Confederate control. Some of the slaves went to Northern states like Michigan to work in factories.
