Why do you think Abraham Lincoln wrote the EP?
- Was this solely to free the slaves, because if it was, the EP only freed slaves in Confederate territory - land over which the Union had no control.
- Was Lincoln bowing to pressure from the abolitionist wing of the Republican Party and finally freeing the slaves?
- Was it to keep Britain and France out of the war? Is this a diplomatic move that put those nations in the tricky position of being a free nation recognizing and aiding a slave nation?
- Was it to encourage slaves to rebel and flee to the North? Would these freed slaves then be given a chance to fight for the Union?
- Was it to change the scope of the war - instead of union, it was now fought over slavery?
- Is it something else not listed above?
- Or is it a combination of these reasons? Explain.
Please discuss your answer in a comment on this blog along with your first name only. This journal is fifteen points.
8 comments:
I think Abraham Lincoln wrote the EP so that he could keep Britain and France out of the war, and also because of the pressure from the abolitionist wing of the Republican Party. Lincoln also did this so that the free slaves could fight for him in the war. The EP was a step towards the abolition of slavery, but I don't think that the EP was intended to completely abolish slavery. With the EP, he was able to keep an alliance with Britain and France. With the number of abolitionists in the North, the pressure to do something also played a factor when Lincoln wrote the EP.
Mitesh
Lincoln wrote the EP because he personally opposed slavery. He also wrote it because he believed that it would save the Union by weakening the Confederacy. Lincoln was bowing to pressure from the abonlitionist wing of the republican Party. It was used to get Britain and France to side with the Union. The EP was a diplomatic move so that the Union would gain Britain's and France trust. The EP was not made to encourage slaves to rebel and flee to the North. Lincoln did want the free slaves to help fight in the war on the Union side. At first, the war being about the Union then it bhange to being about freeing slaves and Lincoln was aware of it.
-Jerry Smith-
There were many factors that took part in Lincoln making the decision to announce the Emancipation Proclamation. One of the major reasons is that the majority of the Confederate work force was slave labor. By freeing the slaves, the South manufactoring capabilities would be crippled. Also there was a lot of pressure coming from the Northern abolitionists to free the slaves.
MIKE
When Abe delivered his Emancipation Proclamation speech, I feel he did it for a number of reasons. The first and most obviousl was to free the slaves in the southern states. Also I think this was to encourage southern blacks to try to escape to the north. This would cause a greater shortage of labor in the southern economy, and thus slow their war effort down. Besides these pooints though, I think Lincoln was trying to ensure that other coutries did not enter the war and help the CSA. Had France or the UK supported the CSA, there would have been disasterous results for the Federal armies and the war probobly would have been lost. By delivering this speech, Lincoln in a way declared to bystanders that the Union has won the war, there is no need to get involved.
Khris
I don't think that Abe decided on the emancipation proclamation because he wanted to free the slaves because he didn't really want to in the first place. The civil war was based on severeal things but for me, it was mostly about the southerners wanting to keep slavery. By signing the EP, he was taking one step closer to victory for the battle against slavery. I think signing the EP about boosting the morale, keep the abolitionists on his side.Lincoln also had said that the country would eventually be either all free or all slavery, and even though it's not like he wanted blacks and whites to be equal, he wasn't an advocate of slavery.
~Tanya
I dont think lincoln worte the EP just to free the slaves. I hink he did it because he was trying to please the radical abolishonists in his party and to try and kill the CSA from within. Like if the slaves where to revolt agenst their owners that this would make the rebels fight a war from with in and with an overwhelming power. If the union was able to get the slaves to fight for the union army this would not only give themmore men to fight with but also add a psychological aspect to the war. The south would not want to beaten by thier former slaves and did fear the wrath that if the slaves fought in large groups that they would be able to over run the plantion owners. Also i think it was done to push the Europen powers out of the picture. Since they had abolsihed slavery years before it would not look good to help some one trying to keep that disgracefull institution. these are the reasons i think Lincoln wrote the EP.
Vahan
I belive that Lincon wrote the Emansipation Proclomation because he not only opposed slavery but, also because by doing this he was hopeing to appeses the abalishonists. I'm not sure if this was on of Lincons intetions by doing this but when he gave the EP it allowed the newly freed slaves to join up with the union army which help to swell its ranks.
Dan Murdock
I think that Abraham Lincoln wrote the EP so that the Confederacy would have to come back under his conditions. He didn't want the Confederacy to say "ok, we'll come back to the Union but only if we can have slaves". Then if Lincoln said yes, he would look week and would have wasted all that time and lifes for nothing, and if he said no, he would look like he was trying to prolong the war. Lincoln wanted the Confederacy to know that if they were going to surrender and return, they would have to do it on his terms.
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