Emancipation Proclomation

Freedom?

One of the most important documents in American History, the Emancipation Proclamation is known for freeing the slaves, which it didn’t directly do. It was completely misunderstood. If anything it was a threat created by Abraham Lincoln to get the Confederacy to rejoin the Union.

The American Civil War claimed more American citizens lives than any other war. By the end of the Civil War 2,108 soldiers were dead and 10,293 were missing and this was only the deficit for the Union. This was a slap to the face to those who thought that this war was going to be over quickly due to the Union’s so called “strength”. Size alone won’t win a war, but size in strength, intelligence, courage, and determination will do the job.

The Confederacy had a force that the Union didn’t posses, great generals and leaders. General Robert E. Lee, General Stonewall Jackson, General George Pickett, They were underestimated greatly by the Union Generals, General Phil Sheridan, General Ulysses S. Grant, General William T. Sherman, and

General George McClellan. The Union moral was dieing down and they were not at all happy with President Abraham Lincoln. Also the Confederacy was hoping to get the help of Great Britain, but that never happened seeing as though Great Britain made illegal slavery and they knew that the Confederacy just could not possibly defeat the Union. Abraham Lincoln Being the President of the United Sates of America made a move to help out the Union. He sent out the Emancipation Proclamation.

This was a huge upside for the Union because the Emancipation Proclamation

Gave all the states in a form of rebellion a date in which they had to release their slaves and if they failed to they would automatically be freed when a Union soldier crosses their path. Of course the Confederacy didn’t believe that this could affect them, so they just ignored it. This is than what spurred Sherman’s march to sea. General William T. Sherman was the new fear of the south. He started a series of campaigns known as Sherman’s March to Sea. He went on a seek and destroy mission. He was able to do this with the new help of the African American regiments; that were able to fight due to the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Confederacy thought that with the help of Great Britain they could defeat the Union and be left alone. However the Confederacy didn’t do much research on the British. If they would have they would have known that the British outlawed slavery. Therefore if they were to help the Confederacy they would be going against their own laws. Also the British were aware of the fact that the Union was using the Anaconda plan against them and slowly, but effectively squeezing the life out of them. It wouldn’t make sense for them to join into a war that they were destined to lose. This important document, the Emancipation Proclamation, deteriorates the Confederacy’s economy as effectively as the Anaconda Plan does. Slavery was the backbone for the Confederacy’s economy.

When the Homeland is constantly being battered and ripped apart, those on it tend to long for the end of the war. This is what happened with the Confederacy.