Emancipation Proclamation Essay

The Emancipation Proclamation was a pivotal document in the American Civil War, but not for the reason a lot of Americans think. Crafted by 16th president, Abraham Lincoln and issued on January 1, 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation did not free the slaves ("The Emancipation Proclamation"). Rather it did not free any slaves in the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation stated all slaves in the rebellious states "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free" ("The Emancipation Proclamation"). The most important phrase in this quote word being "rebellious states," this phrase means that the only slaves being "freed" were the ones who currently lived in the place where the people did not consider

The Emancipation Proclamation was a carefully crafted speech that was certainly not made overnight. The country had been moving towards it gradually, beginning with the The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act in April of 1862, which freed all slaves in Washington in return for payment to their owners. The Second Confiscation Act in July of 1862. Stating that if the rebellion were to continue not to end within sixty days, the North would be sanctioned to seize rebel property, namely slaves. However, Lincoln’s ultimate goal was the preservation of the Union and the maintenance of the Constitution, not the freeing of slaves, which is clearly seen in this letter to Kentucky newspaper editor A.G. Hodges. He explains his rationale behind emancipation by stating, “I was, in my best judgment, driven to the alternative of either surrendering the Union and the Constitution, or of laying strong hand upon the colored element. I chose the latter.” Lincoln is referring to allowing African-Americans to join Union military campaigns and fight against the Confederacy. The addition of African-American soldiers would help tip the balance in their favor even more in the North’s favor, helping them to secure important victories. These former slaves

When the Civil War began in 1861, the issue of slavery was not the central focus of the war effort on the side of the Union. While it was still important to many in the North, the main war aim of the Union side was to preserve the Union and make sure it remained intact. As the war dragged on and more soldiers died on both sides, Lincoln realized he would need to entirely cripple the already weak Confederate economy, and he did this by making the Emancipation Proclamation, which became effective January 1, 1863. This executive order stated that all slaves in states currently in open rebellion against the United States were free from slavery. By doing this, he caused African Americans in slave states to cross into Union territory and into

The Emancipation Proclamation serves as a turning point of the war which it enlarges the purpose of the war. It changed military policy and popular sentiment and for the first time Union People were fighting against slavery. The proclamation invited former slaves to join the Union Army. The recruitment of African-American troops boosted the morale and power of the Union troops and set the foundation for its final victory against the Confederacy in the Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation pathed the way for the 13th amendment. The Emancipation Proclamation also led to the end of slavery. This was also a presidential proclamation and executive order published by the president, Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It purported to change the federal legal status of more than 3 million slaves in the areas of the South, this made the slaves go from slavery to freedom. Freeing slaves was an immediate impact. The Confederate states we not happy. The reason they weren't happy because it took their slaves away from them, which means they have to find a new way to work. The laws were still strict in the south. The white racist people still remanded prejudice against the blacks, not letting them attend the

Before the Civil War, in 1862, Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation because he, himself, did not like the idea of slavery. He must do something about it, so abolishing it will be the best way to stop slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was written by Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, after the Battle of Antietam. Lincoln proposed this Proclamation on January 1, 1863. He wrote this document because of he, himself, hates slavery. Lincoln’s idea on this proclamation was similar to the Constitution, “all men are created equal”. Every man should be treated equally including the white men and the colored men. Lincoln states that all slaves rebelling states to be free but did not affect slavery in non rebelling border states.

In today’s time, the concept of popular sovereignty is used for making decisions about topics such as abortion and marijuana; however, in 1858, popular sovereignty was about giving the right to citizens of a state or territory to decide for themselves whether slavery should be legal in that state or territory (Dudley 154). The topic of popular sovereignty was a pressing debate point between the two men running for a U.S. Senate seat in 1858 (Dudley 154). Stephen Douglas was the Illinois U.S. senator who played crucial roles in passing the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 (Dudley 154). His opponent was Abraham Lincoln, a successful self-taught lawyer turned congressman, who later went on to win the presidential race of 1860 (Dudley 156). Mr. Douglas believed that popular sovereignty should be the deciding factor on the question of slavery (Dudley 154); whereas, Abraham Lincoln felt that slavery was an issue too large to be decided upon by a vote of the people (Dudley 158). Acknowledging that the Union was built upon the belief in sovereignty of the states, and there was in fact no reference to “negroes” in the Declaration of Independence should compel one to agree with Mr. Douglas and see where Mr. Lincoln was wrong (Dudley 155).

On January 1, 1963, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves in Confederate controlled areas liberated. The document contained specific details regarding freedom for slaves. Lincoln was quoted saying to the Secretary of State, “If I could save the Union without freeing any slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some slaves, I would also do that.” The latter is what was attained. While it declared slaves free in most Southern states, some select areas were exempted whilst others were not mentioned at all. Lincoln feared that these “border states”, where slavery was legal, would likewise join the Confederacy if they were included in the proclamation. The “border states” had decided to stay in the Union when other southern states seceded in 1861.

The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The first one, issued September 22, 1862, declared the freedom of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863. The second order, issued January 1, 1863, named ten specific states where it would apply. Lincoln issued the Executive Order by his authority as "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy" under Article II, section 2 of the United States Constitution. Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation didn’t free all the slaves, but it kept critical border states from seceding and it

The Emancipation Proclamation marked the end of slavery in America and made all slaves free from their owners. Every though that the south didn’t what to let the slaves go they had to because they lost the civil war. Who know where we would have been today if the south won the civil war. There could be a possible that slavery could still be going on or it would have ended at a different time. This was an important step in the right direction in Lincolns mind because it made all people free. It means that the country has grown a lot since slavery started and no longer need slaves to work in the fields. There were plenty of people that you could hire to work in the fields. Even though at first it only applied to places that the union had full

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was seeking for the union of the country; however, many states were still in rebellion against the United States, as a result Abraham Lincoln published this document. From this document, it is clear that although Abraham Lincoln was repugnant to the slavery, the emancipation could be seen as a political means to win the Civil War. This can be observed in two parts of the document, the warning to the rebelling states and the favor for the slaves.

The Emancipation Proclamation. John Hope Franklin. Wheeling, Illinois: Harlan Davidson, 1963, 1965, 1995. 155 pp.

Mr. President, and Gentlemen of the Convention. If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it. We are now far into the fifth year since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation. Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented. In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed. "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I believe this Government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will

In order to understand all the intricacies that went in to the Emancipation Proclamation you have to go back a little further in history. You also have to understand that Lincoln was a master politician to which some would argue has yet to be matched. Lincoln ran with the National Union Party which wanted to end slavery. Lincoln was not proslavery however he was a politician which dictated how he handled his beliefs in the public eye. When the Civil War broke out it was not about slavery it was about preserving the Union. Lincoln had no idea that it would take as long as it did or the turns it would take. Initially Lincoln and his war advisors decided to proceed with a three prong attack they would call The Anaconda Plan. The first was to block the

In document six, it states, “all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free…”(7). Even though some states were left out of this proclamation, 3.1 million of the nations 4 million slaves became free. The proclamation came shortly after the fight in Sharpsburg, MD, which was the bloodiest single day in U.S history. Keeping this in mind, President Lincoln still decided to issue the executive order, a decision that would surely cause more violence. Additionally, document five states, “my paramount object in this struggle is to save the union...if i could save the union without freeing any slave i would do it, and if i could save it by freeing alls laves i would do it.”(7). The Emancipation Proclamation was already drafted when Lincoln wrote this letter. This shows that although Lincoln's goal was not to free slaves, but to save the union, he believed that the way to do that was to free the