Emancipation Proclamation

One of the most popular misconceptions in American history is that Abraham Lincoln ended slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation. In fact, it was not the Emancipation Proclamation, but the Thirteenth Amendment that brought an end to slavery in the United States. But this is not to say the Emancipation Proclamation was not important. Keep reading to learn how the Emancipation Proclamation revitalized the North and changed the course of the Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation Definition and Meaning

The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War that freed all slaves in Confederate territory.

Fig. 1 - print of the Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation Date

Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863, but he had already warned it was coming one hundred days earlier in the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, issued on September 22, 1862, allowed Confederate states time to surrender so they could avoid losing their slaves when the actual Emancipation Proclamation took effect. No states heeded his warning.

The Emancipation Proclamation Summary

Let us summarize the Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation Summary: President Lincoln’s Stance

Although President Lincoln did not support slavery himself, prior to the Civil War and even at the start of the Civil War, he had no intentions of ending slavery. His main goal was preserving the Union and little else mattered:

Even further, Abraham Lincoln believed that the Constitution did not allow for the end of slavery in states where it already existed. The best he could hope for was preventing the establishment of slavery in new territories.

Fig. 2 - Abraham Lincoln

But, as the Civil War was approaching its third year, the Union needed a boost if it was going to win the war. Abraham Lincoln believed freeing slaves in the South would debilitate the Confederacy and give the Union more reason to fight.

The Emancipation Proclamation Summary: The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation

President Lincoln, taking the advice of his Cabinet, waited until a significant Union victory to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and the Battle of Antietam provided just that. At the Battle of Antietam on September 17th, 1826, one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, the Union succeeded in halting the advancement of Confederate troops in Maryland. Five days later, Abraham Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation riding on the high of Union victory.

Fig. 3 - painting of the Battle of Antietam

Emancipation Proclamation Summary: Limitations

When it came to the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln’s main goal was still to preserve the Union. As such, there were limitations to the Emancipation Proclamation. The main limitation was that it only freed slaves in Confederate territory. Border states who remained loyal to the Union (Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Massachusetts) were able to keep their slaves. Additionally, the freedom of slaves in the South was contingent upon a Union victory. The Emancipation Proclamation meant nothing if the Confederacy reigned supreme.

Emancipation Proclamation Text

In the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln warned:

Because no Confederate states surrendered in the hundred days allotted, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation listing the territories affected and the consequences:

Emancipation Proclamation Effects

Although the Emancipation Proclamation declared that slaves in Confederate territory were free, it would take time for slaves in the South to actually see this freedom as the Union army had to be there to enforce it. But the Emancipation Proclamation greatly helped the Union war effort. For one, the abolition of slavery in Confederate territory gave something for the North to rally around, helping boost morale.

The Emancipation Proclamation also dashed Confederate hopes of the British or French coming to their aid. Previously, the Confederacy thought they had a chance of getting support because of European reliance on Southern cotton. However, England and France would not fight for a cause that explicitly supported slavery.

Lastly, the Emancipation Proclamation ended the ban on Black soldiers in the Union army. Free Black men from the North and recently freed Black men from the South could now enlist. However, they still faced discrimination. Black soldiers often served in all-Black units led by white officers and they did not receive proper compensation.

Emancipation Proclamation Significance

While the Emancipation Proclamation did not bring an end to slavery, it was an important first step in its abolition. Congressmen, recognizing the Emancipation Proclamation as a war-time document not supported by the Constitution, set to work on an amendment that would abolish slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified on December 6th, 1865, formally ended slavery in the United States.