The Emancipation Proclamation
"Emancipation Day in South Carolina" (January 1, 1863) – This engraving shows the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, one of the first Black regiments in the Union Army
Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not actually abolish slavery throughout the United States, it helped to change the course of the Civil War and made a significant contribution to the evolving definitions of freedom and liberty in America. Lincoln made the decision despite the political risks: it might increase support for the South, alienate northern soldiers who wanted to save the Union but not necessarily abolish slavery, and jeopardize the upcoming midterm elections.
Frederick Douglass and others responded enthusiastically. In a speech in February 1863, he congratulated President Lincoln: “We are all liberated by this proclamation. Everybody is liberated. The white man is liberated, the black man is liberated, the brave men now fighting the battles of their country against rebels and traitors are now liberated… I congratulate you upon this amazing change—the amazing approximation toward the sacred truth of human liberty.” By the end of the war, between 186,000 and 200,000 African Americans had fought for the Union in various capacities.
As you read the Emancipation Proclamation, consider each of the provisions it contains. Think about how they changed the nature of the debate about the abolition of slavery. In order to organize your notes, answer the following questions in the chart below:
Reading: The Emancipation Proclamation
Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History
