[Non-Sequitur]

If the civil war was only about slavery - then how do you explain that slavery was legally carried out in the “union” after the civil war, and that the emancipation proclamation freed only some slaves?

Because the rebellion was about slavery...from the Southern point of view.

[Triple]

but not on the union side?

Really, that is your best response?

[Idabilly]

Because the rebellion was about slavery...from the Southern point of view.

What was the end result? They closed the southern plantation, and opened the federal plantation....from the yankee point of view...

[dangus]

The North was obliged to obey the rule of law. Contrary to the myths of the Terrorist States of the Confederacy, Abraham Lincoln did not feel he had the authority to free slaves in territory which was not in rebellion. That would have to come later, with the consent of the governed, according to due legislative process. However, since the Terrorist States lacked a legitimate state government as they were in open, treasonous rebellion, Lincoln could ban slavery in the the occupied lands.

The rebellion WAS purely about slavery, not self-determination, because the immediate cause of the rebellion was the North granting self-determination to the Western states, and to themselves to not recognize the institution of slavery within their borders.