Emancipation Proclamation Dbq

On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in the rebellious Confederate states. Lincoln believed this decree would help the Union by helping the slaves. Lincoln said, “We know how to save the union. In giving freedom to the slave we assure freedom to the free—honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last, best hope of earth. Lincoln was aware that the abolition of slavery could make or break the Civil War for the Union when he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. Though his proclamation was originally written as a military tactic it would and was intended to, have a huge impact on the slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation helped the slaves in that it made a new goal

Northern freed slaves were encouraged to enlist on the basis that it was a citizen’s responsibility and they were now citizens charged with those responsibilities. Border state slaves, those who had not been immediately freed under the Proclamation were told they would be freed on the spot if they agreed to enlist on the side of the Union. This was a move to hasten the spread of slave freedom and was also a military action to grow the dwindling Union army and push the goal of the war. Though much of the Union army was not at first a friend to the idea, by Lincoln’s hand and encouraging words they came to the understanding that the eradication push was an intelligent move for the war, morally and militarily. By continuing to make the goal of abolition and the protection of the Union one in the same, Lincoln was ensuring that his people would stand behind him. In creating these goals for the war, the Emancipation Proclamation created a movement for the slaves, beginning in the army and eventually bringing them into the society where they

Lincoln wanted to be sure that this attitude would last. In one such effort, Lincoln suggested that the Republican Party make the idea of slavery eradication by constitutional amendment a part of their political platform. By this, he aimed to make it a part of the supreme law of the land. With this idea as the successful Republican platform, Congress was urged to pass the mandate by their president and by the people. In the process, Lincoln revived the background of America; a background of freedom and equality. He knew that this would ensure the freedom of the blacks. The other side of Lincoln’s effort to make these ideals last was to reach out to the citizens. Together, he and the American citizen began by spreading the reach of the Emancipation Proclamation. He began with his army, encouraging them and leading them to take these ideas with them as they advanced in Confederate territory. With each advancement, the fingers of the proclamation stretched further and pulled the nation together. Lincoln then reached to the common citizen. With the Emancipation Proclamation and every order he made, Lincoln called for the best in his people. Paludan puts it as showing them at their best, “engaged in the imperative, life-preserving conversation between structure and purpose, ideal and institution, means and ends.” He goes on to state, “within the nation