Emancipation Proclamation Essay, Research Paper

Abraham Lincoln issued a document called the Emancipation Proclamation that stated; as of January 1, 1863 all slaves in the confederacy would be freed. This did not affect slaves held in Border States and the confederacy, of course, ignored it. Rebelling states were not under union control; therefore no slaves actually gained freedom on Jan. 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation effected many groups and changed the character of the war.

The Emancipation Proclamation changed the direction of the union war effort. Now, the union army was fighting to end slavery as well as to save the union. Slaves became free when union forces occupied the confederate territory.

Free African Americans and escaped slaves enlisted in the union army. About 200,000 joined the Union army and nearly 40,000 lost their lives. Twenty-one were to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery.

As news of Emancipation went into the south, enslaved African Americans found it hard to hide their joy. For example: one woman found out the news just before she was going to serve her master s dinner. She asked to be excused so that she could get water from a nearby spring. When she reached the spring, she shouted: Glory, glory, hallelujah to Jesus! I m free! I m free!

The Confederate Army ignored the Emancipation Proclamation. They didn t care what Abraham Lincoln said because he wasn t their president, Jefferson Davis was. Also, the confederacy s war effort was weakened because enslaved African Americans slowed down their work. They knew when union troops arrived in their area they would be free.

Abolitionists were very glad that Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. For such a long time Fredrick Douglass and many other leaders of the abolitionist movement, both black and white, urged president Lincoln to free all the slaves. Petitions with thousands of names were in Washington, demanding emancipation for the slaves. Finally, they got what they wanted and slaves would be free.

As you can see the Emancipation Proclamation affected many groups of people. To some this was an advantage, and to some this was a disadvantage but to most of the people they were very relieved. If it wasn t for the Emancipation Proclamation the Union army probably would ve let the south go and U.S.A. would be what it is today. The richest strongest, and freest country in the world.