US History
Fort Burrows
Chapter 17.3 -- A Promise of Freedom
By issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln expanded the goals of the war to include the ending of slavery.
emancipate – to set free
Emancipation Proclamation – President Lincoln’s 1863 declaration freeingslaves in
the Confederacy
54TH Massachusetts Regiment – African American unit in the Union Army
Fort Wagner – South Carolina fort, the site of an attack by the AfricanAmerican 54th
Massachusetts Regiment in 1863
desert – to leave without intending to return in violation of a duty
motive – a reason for doing something
regiment – a unit of ground, battle forces
Lincoln’s Goal
The Civil War began –– to restore the Union, not to end slavery
Lincoln tried to make this clear in a letter he wrote,
“If I could save the union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves , I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving the others alone, I would also do that.”
Abraham Lincoln, August 22, 1862 quoted in Carl Sandburg, Abraham Lincoln
Carl Sandburg (1878 – 1967)
was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won two Pulitzer Prizes, one for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln.
Lincoln’s reason for handling the slavery issue so cautiously; 4 slave states remained in the Union
He was careful not to cause these states to shift their loyalty to the Confederacy
Resources of the 4 border states might allow the South to turn the tide of the war
The Emancipation Proclamation
Mid–1862, Lincoln believed he could save the Union only by broadening the goals of the war
He decided to emancipate enslaved African Americans living in the Confederacy
Two parts to his decision:
1st part – in the four loyal slave states, slaves would not be freed
2nd part–slaves would not be freed in Confederate lands already occupied by the Union,
like the city of New Orleans
This was meant to punish the rebel states
Motives and Timing
Lincoln had practical reasons for his emancipation plan
3 million working slaves in the Confederacy
The slaves helped grow the food that fed the Confederate soldiers
They also worked in the iron and lead mines; guns and bullets
Also served as nurses and cooks for the Army
The emancipation would weaken the Confederacy’s ability to carry on war
Lincoln had to be careful not to anger slave owners in the Union; many northerners opposed freedom of slaves, they also used slaves for laborers
Lincoln would introduce the emancipation slowly, limiting the plan only to territory controlled by the Confederacy
Lincoln believed slavery was wrong
When he could free slaves without threatening the Union, he would do so
The war was not going well for the Union; he wanted the support of the American citizens, so he waited for a victory to make the announcement
The victory came at Antietam; Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation
The formal Emancipation Proclamation came January 1, 1863
¿¿ Why did Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation ?
______.
Impact of the Proclamation
Rebel states were not under Union control; no slaves actually gained freedom JAN. 1863
Emancipation Proclamation changed the purpose of the war
Save the Union and NOW end slavery
The proclamation was greeted with JOY! by opponents of slavery
In Boston, abolitionist Frederick Douglass witnessed an emotionalcelebration
“The effect of this announcement was startling… and the scene was wild and grand… My old friend Rue, a negro preacher, expressed the heartfelt emotion of the hour, when he led all voices in the anthem, ‘Sound the loud timbrel o’er Egypt’s dark sea, Jehovah hath triumphed, his people are free!”
Fredrick Douglass, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass
The South saw the proclamation as a “fiend’s act”
Europeans, especially the working class, supported the proclamation
The South would most likely NOT receive any aid from
Britain or other European countries
*** this was a huge blow to the original plans of the Confederacy, they were anticipating aid and recognition
African American Contributions
At the beginning of the Civil War, thousands of free-blacks volunteered to fight for the Union
1862, Congress repealed a law that forbade African Americans to serve as soldiers
Free-blacks and escaped slaves enlisted in the Union Army; this dramatically increased the size
of the Union Army
In the Union Army
African Americans were assigned to all black units, commanded by white officers
They served as laborers; built roads and guarded supplies
Black troops received ½ the pay of the white soldiers
African American soldiers protested this policy
By 1863, African American troops were fighting in major battles against the Confederates
By 1864, they began receiving equal pay; this was the 1st government action to prove black and white equality
200,000 African Americans fought for the Union; 40,000 lost their lives
Act of Bravery
The most famous African American Union unit was the 54th Massachusetts Regiment
Frederick Douglass was a recruiter for this unit and two of his sons fought with this group of black soldiers
The courage of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment helped win respect for the African American soldier
Sergeant William Carney, of the 54th, was the 1st of 16 African American soldiers to receive the ‘Medal of Honor’
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton told President Lincoln, these men had “proved themselves among the bravest of the brave”
Behind Confederate Lines
African American slaves in the South also helped the Union
They slowed down their work, some refused to work at all
This act weakened the South’s war effort
*** How did this act really weaken the Confederate Army ?
______
When Union troops were victorious, the slaves in that area would be free; this created HOPE!
Whenever a Union Army appeared, slaves would flee the plantations and the ‘former’ masters
By the end of the Civil War, one out of four, 1/4 , of the enslaved population had escaped to freedom
¿¿ How did African Americans contribute to the Union effort ?
In the North - ______.
In the South - ______.
- What was Lincoln’s primary goals(4) during the war? 1.______2.______3.______4.______.
- What were the effectsof the Emancipation Proclamation ?
______.
1 of 17.3 Printer Copy MAR 2017 BE MORE ‘BIG’ DOG. It’s an Attitude to Adjust to!!! Leon