"The constitutionality of the conscript law is adjacent to its general policy. . . . The draft is only a systematic and orderly way of getting the men to be got, and of obtaining their services when they are got. . . . Shall we shrink from the necessary means to maintain our free government, which our grand-fathers established, and we have handed down to us?"
— Abraham Lincoln, "Opinion on the Draft," August 1863
Which of the following wartime developments is most directly reflected in the passage?
- AThe application of popular sovereignty to determine military service exemptions
- BThe implementation of Congressional Reconstruction policies to reorganize southern states
- The expansion of federal power to mobilize societal resources and manpowerAnswer
- DThe resolution of regional tariff disputes that immediately caused the outbreak of the war
Answer
The expansion of federal power to mobilize societal resources and manpower.
The correct option is correct because the Union's implementation of a military draft (conscription) represents a significant expansion of the federal government's authority to mobilize the population and resources of the nation to wage a total war.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Wartime mobilization policies and the expansion of federal power during the Civil War.
Estimated Time:45s