Emancipation Proclamation Essay Sample
“That on the first twenty-four hours of January. in the twelvemonth of our Lord one 1000 eight hundred and 63. all individuals held as slaves within any State or designated portion of a State. the people whereof shall so be in rebellion against the United States. shall be so. thenceforward. and everlastingly free. ” One hundred and forty-six old ages ago. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed freedom to 20. 000 to 50. 000 slaves who lived in Confederacy controlled countries of the United States.
Although President Lincoln originally entered into the Civil War to protect and reunite the Union. liberating the slaves populating within countries under his control shortly became an of import war aim for the Commander in Chief. In December of 1861. President Lincoln proposed to Congress the freedom of slaves populating in Union states the purchase of their ain freedom through federal revenue enhancements. He besides commended the free labour system and believed in the value of human rights over belongings rights. Lincoln’s sentiments at the clip were controversial. Many believed that censoring forced labour would destroy the economic system. However. Congress sided with President Lincoln. and on April 10th. 1862 Congress stated that any slave proprietor who freed their slaves would be compensated. This was a major measure into the release of slaves populating in the United States. The Union. led by Lincoln. continued to do advancement when statute law passed criminalizing bondage in United State controlled districts.
This statute law opposed the impression that Congress was unable to modulate bondage. After the basis for the liberation of slaves in U. S. districts had been put into topographic point. Lincoln determined that the emancipation of slaves in Confederate controlled countries was necessary to set an terminal to the sezession. He besides felt it was constitutionally warranted by his powers as Commander in Chief. So on July 22nd. 1862. members of Lincoln’s cabinet met to hear the first bill of exchange of the President’s Emancipation Proclamation. It stated that all slaves populating in countries beyond the boundary line of the Union controlled provinces “shall be so. thenceforward. and everlastingly. free” by January 1st of the undermentioned twelvemonth. In September of 1862 Lincoln one time once more met with his cabinet to discourse and polish the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This new Proclamation offered the Confederate provinces and ultimatum: return to the Union by New Year’s Day or have freedom extended to all slaves within their boundary lines. No Confederate provinces took the offer. so as promised. on January 1st. 1863. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Emancipation Proclamation that went into consequence on the 1st of January 1863 stated that “all individuals held as slaves within any State or designated portion of a State the people whereof shall so be in rebellion against the United States shall be so. thenceforward. and everlastingly free. ” It besides stated that the Nation “will acknowledge and keep the freedom of such individuals and will make non move or Acts of the Apostless to quash such individuals. or any of them. in any attempts they may do for their existent freedom. ” This declaration’s sole intent was to allow freedom to all Confederate slaves. that is. slaves populating in Alabama. Arkansas. Florida. Georgia. Louisiana. Mississippi. North Carolina. South Carolina. Texas. and Virginia. While the Emancipation Proclamation freed 100s of 1000s of slaves in the first few months after it was put into consequence. specific freedoms in Louisiana and Virginia left about 300. 000 slaves unemancipated.
Besides. the Announcement did non include the Union controlled border-states. that is. Delaware. Kentucky. Maryland. and Missouri. so an extra 500. 000 slaves were besides left unemancipated. Another of import item left out of the Emancipation Proclamation was that it did non do slavery illegal. Slavery remained legal in the United States until the Thirteenth Amendment went into consequence in 1865. Although there were several defects in the Emancipation Proclamation. it was a critical first measure in non merely the liberation of slaves. but besides the beginning of equality between Whites and inkinesss in America. The Proclamation besides stated that inkinesss could be received into the armed forces and had the right to sensible rewards. Without the Emancipation Proclamation. it is impossible to state the place African Americans would hold in the United States.
On the twenty-four hours the Emancipation Proclamation went into consequence. 20. 000 slaves were freed. The liberation of slaves continued and by 1865. about 4 million slaves had been freed. Once the war had ended. many worried the Emancipation Proclamation would no longer use because it had started off as a war maneuver. Besides fearing this. Abraham Lincoln pushed for amendment that would do slavery illegal in the United States. Although this was a hazardous move. Lincoln felt strongly about uniting bondage Torahs across the U. S. and it proved to be worthwhile when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed during his presidential term in 1865. Without the Emancipation Proclamation. the Thirteenth Amendment would non hold been possible. Although it did non work out many of the jobs caused by bondage in the United States. the Emancipation Proclamation granted 100s of 1000s of slaves their freedom and besides set the model for incorporate bondage Torahs across the U. S.
Bibliography
Lincoln. Abraham. Pres. “The Emancipation Proclamation. ” Featured Document: The Emancipation Proclamation. National Archives & A ; Records Administration. 13 Feb. 2009. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. archives. gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript. hypertext markup language & gt ; .
Cunningham. John M. “Emancipation Proclamation ( United States [ 1863 ] ) . ” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. 09 June 2009. Web. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/185468/Emancipation-Proclamation & gt ; .
Emancipation Proclamation. January 1. 1863 ; Presidential Proclamations. 1791-1991 ; Record Group 11 ; General Records of the United States Government ; National Archives.
“Primary Documents in American History. ” Emancipation Proclamation: Primary Documents of American History ( Virtual Programs & A ; Services. Library of Congress ) . Library of Congress. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. loc. gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/EmanProc. hypertext markup language & gt ; .
