Did the Emancipation Proclamation Really Free the Slaves?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

President Lincoln was ready to free the slaves, but he had to be careful.

The Civil War was still going on, and freeing the slaves would make a lot of people angry. It might cause the border states, especially Missouri and Kentucky, to go over to the Confederate side of the war. Although he did want to end slavery in America, Lincoln’s main goal was to win the war and keep the country together. So, he had to consider the effect that freeing the slaves would have on everyone.

He also was not sure if he could do it legally.

• Could he, under the Constitution, tell the states they had to free their slaves?

He didn’t think so. After much agonizing thought, he decided he could free the slaves as a war measure — so the slaves could leave the Confederate Army and fight on the Union side. It would help the Union win the war and keep the country together.

When Lincoln decided to write the Proclamation, he worked on it for several weeks, revising it each day. It had to be written just right. He wrote and re-wrote, just as you sometimes have to do in English class! Finally, he was satisfied with his writing. The Proclamation declared all slaves in Confederate states free. It would not free slaves in border states or areas controlled by the Union; that would have to come later.

When President Lincoln met with his advisers and told them about the Proclamation, they advised him to wait a little longer.

• Wouldn’t it look better if he made the proclamation after a Union victory in the war?

Lincoln agreed, and waited some more. It seemed like it might be a long time before that victory would come.

But an unusual bit of providence came his way very soon. Some Union soldiers found three cigars wrapped in a piece of paper. When they unrolled the paper, they discovered a copy of Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s battle plans! This gave Union General George McClellan the advantage he needed, and he planned an attack at Antietam Creek.

Although the Union actually lost more soldiers than the Confederacy in this battle, it was still considered a Union victory because it caused Lee to retreat. So, the just right moment finally came, and President Lincoln could issue his Proclamation.

• Do you agree with Lincoln's timing?
• Or would you have issued the Proclamation right after writing it?
• Or maybe you would wait for a more impressive victory?
• Maybe you would have found a completely different way to start ending slavery?

Now, watch this video to learn how and why Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

Then, sit back and enjoy a very entertaining history teacher singing about this document!

Next, move on to the Got It? section to see how much you remember!