How Did The Emancipation Proclamation Change America

Before the Civil War, America was plagued by slavery. Slave labor is everywhere, not just in the South. The North found ways to smuggle slaves or manipulate slaves to work in factories. There was no escaping it, but soon America would have enough. On April 12, 1861, the Civil War would begin, causing many casualties and changing America forever. This nation-altering war would birth The Emancipation Proclamation, one of the most famous pieces of paper in American history. The common belief is that the Emancipation Proclamation freed all slaves right there and then, but this is far from reality. In truth, the proclamation only pinpointed and broadened abolitionist goals. It was only the beginning of slavery being once and for all abolished. While

For slavery to become illegal in all of America, it would need to be ratified as an amendment. If it wasn’t ratified, it could possibly be easily reversed by a future president. Later, as many people know, on December 6, 1865 we would eventually have the Thirteenth Amendment ratified, which finally banned slavery in all of the United States, not just the ones that seceded from the Union. Though there were still many effects of the Emancipation Proclamation that weren’t just slaves being freed. During and after the war, America endured a myriad of momentous changes, changes we are still dealing with in modern day America. It altered the goal of the war. Now, the war would also be about fighting to end slavery. “There is also sufficient evidence to suggest that most Republican leaders were convinced that the Proclamation, cautious and limited in scope as it was, represented a turning point in the war because it made the issue of slavery a central issue of the Civil War.” Intense research shows, The Emancipation Proclamation forever altered America, both North and South in various

In most cases, the highest rank an African American could achieve was that of Sergeant Major. Yet white troops often questioned or resisted orders from these non-commissioned officers.” Likewise, life was hard as a black soldier, but many persevered and did not let their fellow arrogant and ignorant soldiers slow them down. “More than 180,000 African American men joined regiments of the United States Colored Troops to fight for the Union and their freedom.” These brave soldiers fought non-stop and heavily contributed to the war effort. During the war, many white soldiers quit and ran away from war because they did not want to fight alongside African American soldiers or fight to end slavery. Near the end of the war, slave owners in the South would often have their slaves enlist or help do labor around camps. Northerners had many freed slaves backing them, which saved or lessened the impact of many battles. Also, the Emancipation Proclamation had many indirect effects on the war, from an increased army size to the countless free African Americans helping on the homefront. Freed slaves fighting in war changed the tides of many battles, the war would not be the same without