The Long-Lasting Effects of the Emancipation Proclamation
The Civil War was one of the most blood-stained conflicts in American history (Hale 2016). Although there are many reasons as to why this war began, it remains one of the key battles that would bring about major changes to the landscape of the country forever. One of the most substantial events that brought forth revolution of the nation was the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Although a preliminary Proclamation was issued on September 22, 1862 to persuade the South to stop the rebellion, President Lincoln didn’t issue the actual Emancipation Proclamation until January 1, 1863 (“10 Facts”). This was done to attenuate the Confederacy, unbeknownst that it would one day influence
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The Proclamation only freed slaves in the South that were actively rebelling against the nation; it had nothing to do with slavery in the North. Throughout the duration of the war, slavery was still very much alive and lasted until many years after the war ended. Even though President Lincoln disagreed with slavery and thought it was wrong, he never really had any interest in abolishing slavery throughout the nation. The Proclamation freed slaves in the South, except there was only one problem; they were already at war with the South. The Confederacy didn’t honor President Lincoln’s orders to free the slaves. On paper they were free, but in the minds of those fighting to preserve their right to own slaves, they were still property (Hale 2016). Most abolitionists weren’t necessarily satisfied with the terms of the Proclamation as a document because it didn’t free them to level of freedom they supported. They knew that the Proclamation wouldn’t be complied with because there were still slaves in the states. Why would the south comply (Hale 2016)? The document did, however, provide somewhat of a refuge for those slaves who could retreat to Union lines of battle (“Emancipation Proclamation”). The proclamation did “help” free slaves because it protected those who could get to the Union’s side of the battlefield without being forced to be returned. Slaves in …show more content…
England was a nation that made trades with both the North and South prior to the beginning of the Civil War. After the war began, the dilemma was that both sides of the Union and Confederacy both expected the British to support them in their war efforts. England, however, could use the Civil War to its benefit now that the Country was at war. With the United States being basically two separate entities, they posed no threat to their dominance in the world. England did, however, somewhat feel more supportive of the south and leaned more towards their alliance in the war efforts. Even France was ready to intervene and help, but not without the support of England moving in first. General Lee really believed that Europeans would assist them and threatened the Union to that regard (Jones 2016). What was smart about President Lincoln’s Proclamation was that changing the war from uniting the nation to fighting for slavery is that it ultimately made the Europeans want no part in the war. England was a nation that had already outlawed and made slavery illegal. It would be hypocritical for England to support the South because they couldn’t get behind a movement that attempted to fight to keep slavery alive (Jones 2016). Another power move by Lincoln ensured that the fight stay between two parties. It was a foreign policy maneuver that eliminated the threat posed by General Robert E. Lee. The
So Lincoln may also have issued the Proclamation in order to shift the focus of the war from Union to slavery to prevent the British from recognizing the Confederacy. Arguably, the Confederacy 's best chance to win the Civil War was to get some kind of foreign patron, and Britain was the likeliest choice as it was very dependent on Confederate textiles. But as you 'll remember from all those people going to Canada, Britain had already abolished slavery and it was the historic source of abolitionist sentiment, and so it was very shrewd of Lincoln to make the war about slavery. Off-topic, but if I may put on my world historian hat for a moment, thank you, Stan, the fact that the British did not recognize the South had profound effects on the whole world, because it meant that the British shifted their focus to Egypt and India as sources of cotton for their textile mills. All that noted, I think Lincoln does deserve some credit for freeing the slaves, for two reasons.
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 Civil war was one of the bloodiest in human history up to that time. In September 1862, Lincoln issues his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, it was a military move, giving the south four months to stop rebelling, threatening to emancipate their slaves if they continued to fight, promising to leave slavery untouched in states that came over to the North. By the beginning of 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued and it declared slaves free in those areas still fighting against the union. The more blacks that were free joined the war and
Slavery was a crucial issue on the Union 's diplomatic front with Britain. Lincoln realized that he could use emancipation as a weapon of war as the war was now primarily being fought over slavery. He also wanted to satisfy his own personal hope that everyone everywhere would eventually be free. So in June 1862, Congress passed a law prohibiting slavery in the territories. Lincoln issued the final form of his Emancipation Proclamation (Document F). It stated, “slaves within any State...shall be then, thencefoward, and forever free.” The proclamation had a powerful symbolic effect. It broadened the base of the war by turning it in to a fight for unity.
When elected, President Lincoln vowed to prevent the extension of slavery. As a result, the Southerners chose secession, while Northerners believed that the collapse of Union would destroy the possibility of a democratic republican government. This resulted in the Civil War, which lead to the end of slavery in the United States. Throughout the war, there was much debate over whether or not the Civil War was about slavery or the Union. Lincoln first rejected the end of slavery as a goal of the war, but slave escapes in the South bothered Lincoln. The Union’s fate was at stake and Lincoln’s major goal of the war was to save the Union. Lincoln finally surrendered to the pressure of antislavery republicans, making the Civil War mainly about slavery, and seeing slave abolition as a way to end the rebellion and protect the Union. Abraham Lincoln created the proclamation of emancipation in July 1862, which called for an end to slavery. The proclamation was issued on September 22, basing its legal authority on his responsibility to suppress the rebellion and was signed by Lincoln on January 1, 1863. After the war, abolitionists were concerned that the Emancipation Proclamation would be forgotten about, so they pressured the congress to pass a law that would finally abominate slavery. In January 1865 the Congress approved the Thirteenth Amendment to ending slavery, and sent it to the states
As Mr. Douglass stated in the October 1862 issue of his newspaper, “The effect of this paper...changes the character of the war in European eyes and gives it an important principle...instead of national pride and interest” (Dudley 167). This quote shows that the Emancipation Proclamation would open the eyes of European nations and show them that the Union and Confederacy are not fighting because they had a simple disagreement and are being petty, but rather that they are passionately fighting for what they each believe to be righteous. Changing the views of a foreign nation is not something that could be done with a “worthless act” that people like Mr. Vallandigham believed the Emancipation Proclamation to be. Another statement made by Mr. Douglass goes to show how the Proclamation would have affected the war greatly. As Mr. Douglass states, “It will disarm all purpose on the part of European Government to intervene in favor of the rebels and thus cast off... one source of rebel power” (Dudley 167). Mr. Vallandigham then states in his speech however that “Of what possible avail was his proclamation of September? Did the South submit? Was she even alarmed?” (Dudley 169). One should see that Mr. Douglass’ statement disproves Mr. Vallandigham’s because the South would indeed be alarmed by the Proclamation due to its
Actually, the proclamation freed no slaves. It applied only to Confederate territory, where federal officers could not enforce it. The proclamation did not affect slavery in the loyal Border States. Lincoln repeatedly urged those states to free their slaves, and to pay the owners for their loss. He promised financial help from the federal government for this purpose. The failure of the states to follow his advice was one of his great disappointments.
The Abolitionist Movement was a movement that tried to end slavery in 1830-1870 (Abolitionist Movement). Many Americans, mainly in the north, sought to emancipate slavery. Some tactics and help to end racism and slavery included ACS, gradualism, colonization, and abolitionists. In previous years, some religious groups brought up gradually ending slavery, but in the 1830s abolitionists took it upon themselves to wipe it out immediately. Out of the reform groups in the 1800s, the movement to end slavery was the most divisive.
How did the abolitionists' proposals and methods differ from those of earlier antislavery movements (see Chapter 8)?
During his election campaign and throughout the early years of the Civil War, Lincoln vehemently denied the rumour that he would mount an attack on slavery. At the outbreak of fighting, he pledged to 'restore the Union, but accept slavery where it existed ', with Congress supporting his position via the Crittendon-Johnson Resolutions. However, during 1862 Lincoln was persuaded for a number of reasons that Negro emancipation as a war measure was both essential and sound. Public opinion seemed to be going that way, Negro slaves were helping the Southern war effort, and a string of defeats had left Northern morale low. A new moral boost to the cause might give weary Union soldiers added impetus in the fight. Furthermore, if the Union fought against slavery, Britain and France could not help the other side, since their 'peculiar institution ' was largely abhorred in both European nations. Having eased the American public into the idea, through speeches that hinted at emancipation, Lincoln finally signed the Proclamation on January 1st 1863, releasing all slaves behind rebel lines. Critics argued that the proclamation went little further than the Second Confiscation Act and it conveniently failed to release prisoners behind Union lines. Nevertheless, Henry Adams summed up public reaction to the Proclamation as an 'almost convulsive reaction in our favour '.
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
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.
Although there were more than four million slaves living in the U.S. at this time, the Emancipation Proclamation did not formally free a single one of them. So that presents us with a couple of very interesting questions: first, why did Lincoln issue the proclamation if it had no practical effect? Second, why is the Emancipation Proclamation considered Lincoln's most important legacy if it didn't actually free anyone?
Lincoln thought freeing slaves would help him reach his goals to save the Union. Therefor, this led to the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Although, the Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in the Confederate States in America, it was the first step in the final Emancipation of all slaves. It helped the cause of the Civil War, and was close to end slavery permanently. It was the third year into the Civil War, once the form was signed, the number of group soldiers for the Civil War and navy increased. This was because what Lincoln hoped would happen did happen. Although, the liberation of slaves allowed many slaves to volunteer and to fight in the Civil War. At that point the Civil War became a war for freedom. The result of the War was positive. The Union was saved but also the War helped free slaves.
The emancipation proclamation was an order signed by president Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War in attempt to abolish slavery in the ten rebellion states in the confederacy. The order took effect on January 1, 1863 in attempts to free more than 3.5 million slaves in the confederate area where they rebelled against the Union, and to maintain apprehended freedom between the newly freed slaves and the federal government and military. This was a turning point in the Civil war as Abraham lincoln changed the focal point of the war from secession to slavery, which the South [Jefferson Davis] didn’t want to occur, in fear of losing foreign allies, such as anti-slavery Great Britain. The North really increased their chances of