A Constitutional issue that plagued early America until the civil war was the enslavement of African Americans. This issue impacted America from 1619 to 1865, with some impacts lasting until today. To address this issue, there were many different efforts made by the federal government, individuals, and groups. Two efforts that stand out are the various Compromises undertaken by the federal government, and the slave rebellions led by enslaved people, such as Nat Turner's rebellion. Ultimately, the enslavement of African Americans was received by the country going to war (Civil war) and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865. Emancipation means the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberation. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." The emancipation proclamation is important because it was the necessary legislation that gave slaves their freedom in the United States. Document 1a shows that …show more content…
Document 2 states,“ in 1822, Denmark Veazie, of South Carolina, formed a plan for the liberation of his fellow men. In the whole history of human efforts to overthrow slavery, a more complicated and tremendous plan was never formed.” … “the patriotic Nathaniel Turner followed Denmark Veazie.” Nathanial turner was an African American preacher who led the bloodiest slave rebellion in American history. So by Henry sending out this address to African Americans, he was trying to encourage African Americans to accelerate the abolition of slavery by calling for a rebellion. He wanted slaves to turn against their