Good afternoon everyone, my name is Vontasia White and my topic of discussion is the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Emancipation Proclamation was first introduced on September 22, 1862, by President Abraham Lincoln and was officially issued on January 1. 1863. The purpose of the document was to free those still enslaved in southern states. However, this would only happen if the Union won the Civil War, which later happened in 1865. The Emancipation Proclamation was a preliminary which stated directly to those states still in rebellion “that all persons held as slaves, within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free.” There was ten Confederate that this document applied to.
This document helped in the winning of the war by the Union because freed slaves were able to join the Union Army which increased the Union’s military size and their chances of winning the Civil War. The proclamation was a gateway to freedom for African Americans by them literally being able to fight for their freedom through establishments such as the United States Colored Troops (USCT). On the other hand, the document hurt may the Southern States because many of their allied countries, including Britain and France were against slavery which badly impacted their possible numbers/leverage.
In conclusion, the Emancipation Proclamation led the way to abolish slavery as a whole in the country. It changed the purpose of the war to focusing on the freedom of slaves and protecting the Union. In the end, slavery officially ended the ratification 13th Amendment in December of 1865. The former slaves were freed, however, the fight for equality and certain rights had just begun for African-Americans. If it weren’t these documents who knows how long it would’ve to end slavery and events in history would have ended differently.
CITATIONS
- https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-emancipation-proclamation-takes-effect
- https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/10-facts-emancipation-proclamation