Mrs. Enright Chapter 17 Section 1 The Emancipation Proclamation

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

The Emancipation Proclamation 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

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

The 54th Massachusetts Volunteers 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

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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