Chapter 17 Section 1The Emancipation Proclamation

Mrs. Enright

North Demands Action

Abolitionists, like Frederick Douglass, still continued to persuade Lincoln to emancipate slavery

Americans were pressuring their President to act and stop the war

While more and more enslaved people were escaping from the South, it was clear that this was an opportunity to finally end slavery

Even with all of the North’s arguments, Lincoln was still tentative to act

Lincoln’s Difficult Decision

Abraham Lincoln hesitated for many noble reasons

He felt that he did not have the Constitutional right or power to completely abolish slavery from slave-holding states

Did not want to disturb the four slave border states

Mainly, though, he wanted to preserve the Union and feared that emancipation might disrupt this

“If I could save the Union without freeing any slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would do that also.”

Final Decision

In spite of wanted the war to end, Lincoln gave into emancipation in the summer of 1862

However, he did not want to jump into choice right away

He waited until the war was in the Union’s favor

That time came after General Lee surrendered at the Battle of Antietam

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free all of the current slaves

However, this was not very affective because it only applied to the states that were under the North’s control

Lincoln only freed slaves in the South because, commander in chief, it could be seen as a military action

The conflict now had a moral purpose and become a war of liberation

The Emancipation Proclamation

Response to the Proclamation

Abolitionists and other people in support of emancipation were thrilled

However they were still dissatisfied that not all slaves were freed

Northern Democrats were thoroughly angered not only for themselves but also for the South and that it would only prolong—or lengthen, the war

Response to the Proclamation

A newspaper carrier stated that the proclamation was “monstrous, impudent, and heinous.”

South was enraged by the proclamation because many of their slaves attempted to escape their plantations

Although these slaves deprived the South of power, they went straight into the Union army

African American Soldiers

Along with freeing slaves in the Emancipation Proclamation, it allows African Americans to fight in the Union Army

Strengthened the union army “by a mile”

Even at the beginning of the war, Douglass felt that joined the war should earn you full citizenship

180,000 Afro-Americans joined in total, and 166 regiments were formed

Despite discrimination and lower pay, African Americans fought with loyalty and courage in the Union army

Some regiments wanted these men to fight without pay

These men wanted to abolish slavery, earn self-respect, and show that they were equal

Recognized for their bravery

•One of the first African American Union regiments, and the most famous•In July of 1863, it led a victorious attack on Fort Wagner•The Confederate government threatened to execute or enslave any captured African Americans•It was very clear to both the Union and Confederacy that the war was dramatically changing

The 54th Massachusetts Volunteers

Works Cited"Emancipation Proclamation - Ohio History Central - A Product of the Ohio Historical Society." Ohio History Central - An Online Encyclopedia of Ohio History - Ohio Historical Society. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. <http://ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1492>.

Our Family Tree, Consisting, At, Present, of 166 Generations. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. <http://mariah.stonemarche.org/livhis/glory.htm>.

Slackman, By Michael. "Wednesday Open Thread." Jack & Jill Politics. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. <http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2009/11/wednesday-open-thread-67/>.

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