Who Was President When The Emancipation Proclamation Was Passed?

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law on January 1, 1863. However, on September 22, 1862, he signed the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation stating all slaves, within any State or part of a State rebelling against the United States would be set free on January 1, 1863.

After this Preliminary Proclamation the full Emancipation Proclamation became law with its signing. This document declared, "all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free." The document allowed slavery to continue in the loyal border states, and states of the Confederacy under Northern control at the time. Sadly, the freedom of all slaves depended upon whether or not the Union attained victory in the Civil War.

Rather than free the slaves with its signing, the Emancipation Proclamation simply changed the character of the Civil War. The initial effect was the freedom of slaves resulting ftom the advancement of Federal Troops in various states, since their forces were expanded by inviting free slaves to join them.

The original Emancipation Proclamation, which is five pages in length can be seen in the Department State National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Add Comment

Report