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Act of Justice - The Emancipation Proclamation

Page history last edited by Mr. Hengsterman 3 years, 2 months ago

 

 

Act of Justice: Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation [1863]

As critics challenge the constitutionality of Emancipation, Lincoln uses war as its legal basis asserting that the Constitution
vested the president "with the law of war in time of war"

 

 

 

 

 

Context: The Civil War disrupted plantation life throughout the South. Soon  thousands of escaped slaves sought refuge behind Union lines.  A series of Confiscation Acts (1862-1863) authorized Union troops to seize all property, including slaves, used on behalf of the Confederacy.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conflict:  When President Lincoln first proposed the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet in the summer of 1862, many of the cabinet secretaries were apathetic, or worse, worried that the Proclamation was too radical.  Secretary of State William Seward advised him to delay the issuance of the draft or "it would be construed our last shriek on the retreat " It was only Lincoln’s firm commitment to the necessity and justice of the Proclamation, along with the victory at Antietam, which finally persuaded his cabinet members to support him.  

 

 

“If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is into it.”

Abraham Lincoln, January 1, 1863

 

Distribution of the Slave Population of the Southern States of the United States Compiled from the Census of 1860

 

 

The evolution of Lincoln's  thoughts on Slavery 

 

“A Proclamation. Whereas, on the twentysecond day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtytwo, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit: "That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtythree, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.”

 

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

 

By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consequence of Emancipation Proclamation  

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issues a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which sets a date for the freedom of more than 3 million black slaves in the United States and recasts the Civil War as a fight against slavery. 

 

 

 

#1 Union Army is now an Army of liberation

 

#2  News about the proclamation would spread like wild fire

 

#3  Committed the American government to a position on African Americans

 

#4  Formally authorized the recruitment of black soldiers

 

#5  War Transformed: From States Rights (1860-1862) to Human Rights (1863-1865)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emancipation Proclamation - 1863 (WIP)

 

 

Image result for territory impacted by emancipation proclamation

 

 

 

African-Americans who were set free by the North were called 'contrabands' because they were viewed by the 
South as property.  This group is shown wearing old Union uniforms and standing near a signal tower.

 

 

“You say you will not fight to free the negroes. Some of them seem willing to fight for you; but, no matter. Fight you, then, exclusively to save the Union. I issued the proclamation on purpose to aid you in saving the Union. Whenever you shall have conquered all resistance to the Union, if I shall urge you to continue fighting, it will be an apt time, then, for you to declare you will not fight to free negroes.” And then, there will be some black men who can remember that, with silent tongue, and clenched teeth, and steady eye, and well-poised bayonet, they have helped mankind on to this great consummation; while, I fear, there will be some white ones, unable to forget that, with malignant heart, and deceitful speech, they have strove to hinder it.

 

 

 IMPACT of the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION  

 

#1 Union Army is now an Army of liberation

 

#2  News about the proclamation would spread like wild fire

 

#3  Committed the American government to a position on African Americans

 

#4  Formally authorized the recruitment of black soldiers

 

#5  War Transformed: From States Rights (1860-1862) to Human Rights (1863-1865) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you know? When it took effect in January 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation freed 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves.

 

 

 

 

Ten Facts about the Emancipation Proclamation 

 

 

 

 

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