Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the End of Slavery
This paper examines the historical context of American slavery, from its origins in the early colonial period through the political tensions that produced the Civil War, and analyzes Abraham Lincoln's strategic motivations for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Drawing on Lincoln's own writings and contemporary commentary, the paper argues that Lincoln's primary goal was to preserve the Union rather than to destroy slavery outright. It explores how the Proclamation served to weaken the Confederate economy, inspire Northern troops, attract new Union soldiers and laborers, and secure international moral sympathy — ultimately foreshadowing the 13th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
- The History of Slavery in America: Origins and growth of American slavery
- Political Tensions and the Road to Civil War: Slavery's role in sectional political conflict
- Lincoln's Priorities: Union Over Abolition: Lincoln's duty to preserve the Union first
- The Strategic Logic of the Emancipation Proclamation: Proclamation as military and moral strategy
- Military and Economic Impact of Emancipation: New troops, laborers, and Southern economic damage
- Legacy of the Proclamation and Constitutional Change: Path from Proclamation to 13th Amendment
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its argument in primary sources, quoting Lincoln's own words and Horace Greeley's published letter to demonstrate that Lincoln's motivations were political as well as moral.
- It provides a clear historical arc — from the origins of colonial slavery through the 13th Amendment — giving the argument a logical chronological foundation.
- The paper successfully distinguishes between Lincoln's personal antislavery views and his constitutional duty to preserve the Union, a nuance that strengthens the central thesis.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of direct quotation to substantiate historical claims. Rather than paraphrasing Lincoln's position, it lets his own letters and proclamations speak, then interprets them in context. This technique lends authority to the argument and models how primary sources should anchor historical analysis.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with a broad history of slavery in America, narrows to the political crisis that produced the Civil War, then focuses tightly on Lincoln's stated objectives. The middle sections examine the Proclamation's military and economic rationale, supported by multiple Lincoln quotations. The conclusion ties the Proclamation to its lasting constitutional legacy — the 13th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 — completing a cause-and-effect arc from colonial institution to legal abolition.
The History of Slavery in America
As abhorrent as it may seem in the contemporary world, slavery as an institution has been part of human civilization since recorded history. In most cultures, a slave had more intrinsic value than precious metals. In the United States, slavery began in the early 1600s, when African workers were imported to tend the burgeoning agricultural sector — a practice established in the Spanish colonies during the 1500s (Davis, 2006, p. 124). It was this inexpensive labor that helped agriculture grow so quickly, especially in the high-value, labor-intensive areas of the southern United States. Although the legal importation of slaves from Africa ended shortly after the American Revolution, historians estimate that over 650,000 Africans were brought to the United States between 1600 and 1790 — a population that grew to over 4 million just prior to the Civil War (Social Aspects of the Civil War, 2009).
Because of the new philosophical mandates arising from not only Europe but from the newly created United States, rationalist thinkers used the Enlightenment to reassess man's place in the universe and his relationship with his fellow man. This led to outright questioning of the slave trade, and the movement of abolitionism became a unique cause in the Americas and even in Eastern Europe and Russia. This movement gained momentum in the United States after the British outlawed slavery in the 1830s, and seemed to culminate with the ultimate abolitionist — a duly elected President of the United States.
References
Greeley, H. "The Prayer of the Twenty Million." CivilWarHome.com. August 19, 1862. http://www.civilwarhome.com/lincolngreeley.htm (accessed August 2010).
Lincoln, A. "A Proclamation by the President of the United States." Civilwarhome.com. September 22, 1862. http://www.civilwarhome.com/emancipation.htm (accessed August 2010).
Lincoln, A. "Reply to Emancipation Memorial presented by Chicago Christians of All Denominations." Teachingamericanhistory.org. September 13, 1892. (accessed August 2010).
Lincoln, A. "The Dilemma of Slavery." In Reparations for Slavery — A Reader, edited by Salzberger et al., pp. 17–21. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004.
Lincoln, A. "The Emancipation Proclamation." In Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery, by A. Guelzo, pp. 24–29. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
"Slavery and the Making of America." PBS.org. March 2004. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/ (accessed July 2010).
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