Who Wrote: Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation, January 1st 1863
Audience: Lincoln addresses the whole Union in his proclamation letting them know what’s going on and how he’s going to deal with the slaves. Later on he specifically addresses the Confederate states, where the slaves resided that Lincoln was setting free.
Represent: This proclamation represented the end of slavery altogether in the territory in rebellion to the federal government. It also showed that Lincoln’s sentiment towards the slaves had changed. At first Lincoln had been a believer in white supremacy and viewed the war in terms of preserving the Union, as can be seen in his first inaugural address. As pressure for abolition mounted in the North Lincoln became more sympathetic of the idea.
What’s being said: The point that Lincoln literally was trying to make is that on January 1st 1863 all slaves residing in the Confederate territory were declared free. However the message that was being sent to the south was that although Lincoln had focused on rectifying the Union at the beginning of the war, he now shifted his stance and said that the civil war was now being fought to end slavery.
When: Although the actually proclamation occurred at the beginning of 1863 Lincoln worked on the idea of emancipation with his cabinet in early months of 1862. Lincoln wanted to wait on the announcement until the Union army started to win more battles. What he feared was that by proclaiming the freedom for the slaves might appear to be a move of desperation to help the Union troops.
Impact: Even though Lincoln freed the slaves with his Emancipation Proclamation on the first of January in 1863, the proclamation in all actuality freed few people. It didn’t apply to slaves in the Border States and southern areas already under Union control. So of course the states rebelling didn’t abide by Lincoln’s order.
