Emancipation Proclamation in the United States

Introduction to Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

In the context of the legal history: Emancipated the slaves in the southern states but did not free all slaves: only in states under Confederate control. It also allowed black soldiers to fight in the Union army, as well tying the issue of slavery to the Civil War. Lincoln realized that reality of emancipation was a long way off, but this was the start. Real emancipation came with the 13th Amendment in 1865.

Emancipation Proclamation in the U.S. Legal History

Summary

President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation in September 1862 that all slaves would be declared free in those states that were still in rebellion against the Union at the beginning of 1863. Receiving no official response from the Confederacy, Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. All slaves in the rebellious Confederate states were to be forever free. However, slavery could continue to exist in border states that were not at war against the Union. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation represented the beginning of the end of chattel slavery in the United States.

Resources

In the context of the legal history:

See Also

• International Treaties
• Multilateral Treaties