The Passing of the Emancipation Proclamation as the Result of Lincoln’s Desire to Undermine the Southern Economy

When it comes to Abraham Lincoln people will accept anything as factual, which is why all the myths of Lincoln have actually dominated history for so long. Many believe that the Emancipation Proclamation is solely about honest Abe being a just man and freeing all the slaves with his executive power as sitting president. Lincoln himself stated that it was actually a war tactic strategically planned to cripple the south. If Lincoln’s 1863 article is so dedicated to the freeing of slaves then why were union states like Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and West Virginia allowed to still participate in keeping their slaves? “And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free.” which is an excerpt from the Emancipation Proclamation itself which shows that a lot of people don’t read it well enough to notice that the slaves were an actual afterthought. Maybe it’s because they are so caught up in the notation that Lincoln was about slave’s equality and nothing more.

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

The 1860’s was a difficult time for the United States of America as it was the time period where they went into the American Civil War. At a time of slavery and many conflicting ideas, the United States was falling apart and at its most divided time ever. As the elected president in 1861, Abraham Lincoln had to fix the issues that the country was facing. Some of those issues included slavery, the separation of the north and south, and the Civil War itself. Today, Abraham Lincoln is generally known as a great president who took charge of a country in need and did many things that had a positive influence over the United States. One of Lincoln’s biggest achievements as president of the United States was the Emancipation Proclamation

Following the outbreak of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln believed that the Union could not survive whilst divided on the subject of slavery. Revered by numerous historians, Lincoln’s actions throughout the Civil War created social and political change that would bring the United States of America into a new era of social and cultural reform. In attempt to abolish slavery and weaken the Confederacy, the Emancipation Proclamation redefined the objectives of the Civil War. While successful in gradually abolishing the institution of slavery in the southern states, the Emancipation Proclamation failed to extinguish racial discriminations against the newly freed African-Americans. Indeed, progress had been made, but by using intimidation

This fear would grow and lead to the South leaving the Union and going to war. The Emancipation Proclamation would be the document that finally abolished slavery in America. Emory M. Thomas and Marilyn Elizabeth Perry describe the situation for the president at the time, Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation, while being one of his greatest achievements, was a hard decision for him to come to as the North was in support of abolishing slavery but the South depended on it (Thomas and Perry). Abraham Lincoln was president in the 1860s when the conflict over slavery hit its peak.

This chapter mainly covers the issue involving the Union and the Proclamation said by Abraham Lincoln. To begin with, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation of Proclamation on January 1st, 1863. The proclamation stated that all the people who were being held as slaves would be free forever. The problem was that not many people saw emancipation as a goal for the Union due to the fact that not many soldiers would fight if it were for emancipation. Not only that but many of the slaves were used to fight for the Southern cause or to help it and by doing so they were only harming the Northern cause.

Abraham Lincoln is the first Republican president that announced that he wanted to keep slavery out of the territories but he respected slavery where it had already existed. Several southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America. The northerners refused to acknowledge the secession because they believed it was illegal and illegitimate. Abraham Lincoln wanted to save the Union in the fastest possible way. He believed as soon as national authority was reestablished, the nation would become the Union it was once before. The main goal was to preserve the unity of the America and whether slavery is saved or destroyed depended if it helps save the Union. Even before the civil war ended, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. Emancipation was not initially a war aim but by the summer of 1862, in order to win support in Europe, the government made abolition an objective. By January of 1863, the Proclamation stated that all slaves in areas of rebellion against the United States, shall then be freed of bondage. Although this was only a start to the political and social transformation in America, it was the start of revolutionizing the social and political status of blacks. Eventually, black males were granted proper social and political rights such as the right to vote and the right to own land (Doc 1, Garraty 398-399).

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?

You article was interesting to read because it seems like you were ready to turn your short paper in to a long paper. Also, liked how it lead into week 7 forum because the book did have a lot of information related to your topic. So in your paper did you mention how Lincoln use the Emancipation Proclamation to the Norths advantage? I did my paper on it and he used the emancipation proclamation to weaken the Confederate states. He knew taking them away would limit the amount of troops the south could provide and also strain their supplies.

Lincoln released the Emancipation Proclamation at a pivotal moment in the war; thus, marking the first significant movement that was widely recognized as the beginning of the end of slavery. In September of 1862, after the Battle at Antietam and the Union’s victory, President Lincoln cleverly issued a statement declaring that the rebellious states, Delaware, Kentucky Missouri, and Maryland, would have to return to the Union by January 1, 1863 or freedom would be granted to the slaves of those states. President Lincoln’s timing in delivering his preliminary proclamation guaranteed that the Emancipation Proclamation would positively influence the Union’s efforts. Not one of the four confederate states complied with President Lincoln’s terms.

Slavery started in 1619 when Europeans brought over African slaves to the United States. As time passed, slaves kept working under unfair conditions. No previous president had the determination that Abraham Lincoln held while in office. He would strengthen and unite the country while putting an end to slavery. Prior to Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation Act, African Americans did not hold any rights; however, once the act was issued three historical events occurred: African Americans were granted freedom along with numerous constitutional rights, the focus of the Civil War was altered, and the country gained support from other countries making the Emancipation Proclamation President Lincoln’s most beneficial act.

Even though Hofstadter's view contradicts everything we have been told about Abraham Lincoln he was still a historical figure that made such an impact on American History. One document he wrote that made a big impact on America was the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation stated "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." Abraham Lincoln published the first Emancipation Proclamation on September 22nd, 1862. It stated that if the Southern states did not stop their rebellion by January 1st, 1863, the Proclamation would go into effect. When the Confederacy did not back down, Lincoln released the final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863, as the United States approached

After the Union won the Civil War African American slaves were freed but different Problems a rise during the reconstruction period. The Emancipation Proclamation written by Abraham Lincoln would give the win to the United states which would result in a revolt by the Confederacy. States that were once a part of the confederacy should terminate the idea of slavery and pledge to tie up all the money owed to the North. Without doubt first codes were issued in the state of Mississippi and South Carolina stating the African Americans should have a record showing that they engage in a job and they would have to pay taxes if they did not work

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.

During the Abraham Lincoln’s short time as president, he managed not only to save a nation deeply divided and at war with itself, but to solidify the United States of America as a nation dedicated to the progress of civil rights. Years after his death, he was awarded the title of ‘The Great Emancipator.’ In this paper, I will examine many different aspects of Lincoln’s presidency in order to come to a conclusion: whether this title bestowed unto Lincoln was deserved, or not. In order to fully understand Lincoln, it is necessary to understand the motives that drove this man to action. While some of his intentions may not have been for the welfare of slaves, but for the preservation of the Union,