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Emancipation Proclamation
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Emancipation
Proclamation Facts for kids
The picture of
the
Emancipation
Proclamation tells a thousand words. The Emancipation
proclamation is surrounded by images relating
to slavery and to the lives of slaves.
● The symbol
of the United States of America has its
wings outstretched as a symbol of protection
● A picture
of the man who made the Emancipation proclamation,
President Abraham Lincoln, is displayed
flanked by the stars and stripes
● The left
panel contains pictures of slaves toiling
in the fields, watched by an overseer. The
central picture depicts the events at a
slave auction. The bottom picture shows
a fugitive slave, chased by dogs
● The right
panel shows life on a plantation. The center
panel shows young, Black-American children
being taught at school. The bottom picture
shows a steamboat representing the ability
to travel
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids: The Important Words
There are three phrases with
in the Emancipation Proclamation that are so important that
they are capitalized and in bold lettering. The Emancipation
Proclamation at first declares that all persons held in
states that are in rebellion against the United States "shall
be FOREVER FREE" and repeats the sentiments by saying that
"...ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES...SHALL BE FREE!"
Emancipation Proclamation
Summary for kids - What did the Emancipation Proclamation
do?
Summary of the Emancipation Proclamation. What did the Emancipation
Proclamation do?
● The Emancipation
Proclamation made freeing the slaves an explicit goal
of the Union war effort
● The Emancipation
Proclamation proclaimed the freedom of slaves in the
states that were still in rebellion
● The Emancipation
Proclamation only applied to slaves in lands held
by the
Confederacy. It did not apply to those in the four
slave states that were not in rebellion (Kentucky, Maryland,
Delaware, and Missouri)
● The Emancipation
Proclamation proclaimed that people amongst those freed
could be enrolled into the paid service of United States'
forces
● The Emancipation
Proclamation ordered the Union Army (and all the Executive
branch of government) to "recognize and maintain the
freedom of" the ex-slaves
● The Emancipation
Proclamation did not order the compensation of the owners
● The Emancipation
Proclamation did not make the ex-slaves citizens.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids: The History of the Emancipation Proclamation
The history of the Emancipation
Proclamation will surprise many.
The Emancipation Proclamation,
was formally issued on January 1, 1863, by President Lincoln.
The Proclamation is often mistakenly referred to as the
legal instrument that ended slavery - it wasn't. The
13th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in December
1865, outlawed Slavery. And
the Civil War didn't start over the liberation of slaves...
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids: The Inauguration of President Lincoln
The reason the Civil War
erupted was primarily due States Rights and the debates
regarding the extension of slavery. The inauguration of
President Abraham Lincoln was on
March 4, 1861 and his
election had contributed to the
Secession of the South.
During his first inaugural address the President declared
he had "no purpose ... to interfere with the institution
of slavery in the states where it exists." However, his
words did nothing to stop the Southern states forming a
separate government and establishing the
Confederate States of America.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids: The Civil War Starts
On
April 12, 1861,
just over a month after the
inauguration of President Lincoln,
Confederate soldiers under General Pierre Beauregard opened
fire on Union troops in an attack on
Fort Sumter. This action
marked the start
of the Civil War.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts: First Steps toward Emancipation - Slavery ended in
Washington D.C.
President Abraham Lincoln and the Republican party believed
that Congress could not interfere with slavery in the states.
But it was lawful to buy slaves and set them free. Or for
the government to help the states who wanted to do this.
Congress therefore passed a law offering help to any state
which wanted to abolish slavery within its borders. Congress
took action to abolish slavery in the new territories -
but without compensation. Congress did however, completely
abolish slavery in the District of Columbia and provision
was made to compensate the owners. The District of Columbia
Compensated Emancipation Act, was a law that ended slavery
in Washington, D.C. by paying slave owners for releasing
their slaves. The act was signed into law by President Lincoln
on April 16, 1862. This is that date that Emancipation Day
is celebrated in Washington D.C.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids: The War Aims Resolution (July 1861)
President
Lincoln expressed the fear that premature attempts at emancipation
would mean the loss of the border states. On
July 25,
1861: U.S. Congress passed the War Aims Resolution, also
called the Crittenden Resolution, that defined the Union
goals in the Civil War. It was written to retain the
loyalty of citizens and to reassure the people of the intentions
of the government in the slave-holding border states and
the Northerners who would fight to save the Union but not
to free the slaves. The War Aims resolution declared that
the Civil war was being fought to "preserve the Union,"
not to destroy slavery. The War Aims Resolution implied
that war would end when the seceding states returned to
the Union, with slavery being intact.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids: The 1862 Militia Act (July 1861)
The Civil War raged on into
1862. The nation witnessed the slaughter of the nation's
young men at the Battle of Shiloh on
April 6-7, 1862
when the Union lost
13,573 men in
just two days. The bloody carnage continued with the Seven
Days Battles between June 26 to July 1, 1862 when the Union
lost another 15,249 soldiers. The losses were great and
the Union army needed more soldiers. On July 17, 1862
Congress
passed the Militia Act authorizing Lincoln to use Black-American
soldiers - but they are paid only half of what the white
soldiers are paid in the Civil War.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts: The Power to Proclaim
According to the Constitution the President of the United
States has the power to make executive orders and proclamations.
An executive order is aimed at those inside government whilst
presidential proclamations are aimed at those outside government.
Executive orders and presidential proclamations carry the
same force of law but ensure that such measures are implemented
extremely quickly. The President was in command - he had
the presidential Power to Proclaim.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts: The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation (September
1862)
President Lincoln was instrumental in making the Militia
Act law and by August, 1862, he had decided that to free
the slaves in the seceded states would help "to save the
Union". Lincoln therefore believed that this was the right
action to take as a "war measure". On September 22, 1862,
Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation stating that on the
first day of the new year he would declare all slaves free
in any portion of the United States that were still in rebellion.
The reasoning behind the "war measure" was that every Black-American
slave taken away from forced labor would weaken the economy
of the South and so make the conquest of the Confederacy
easier. The text of the Preliminary Emancipation included
the following:
"...on the first day of January . . . all persons held as
slaves within any State, or designated part of a State,
the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the
United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever
free."
President Abraham Lincoln, preliminary Emancipation Proclamation,
September 22, 1862
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts - Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation (January
1863)
President Abraham Lincoln kept to his word and issued the
Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. By issuing
the Emancipation
Proclamation the Civil War, that had started to preserve
the Union, now became a revolutionary struggle for the abolition
of slavery. Please access the following to read the full
text:
Emancipation
Proclamation Text
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts for kids - The 13th Amendment
On January 31, 1865 Congress approved the
13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which
made slavery, in all its forms, illegal. . The 13th Amendment
is about the Abolishment of Slavery and is therefore also
called the Slavery Amendment which was referred to in Article
1 and Article 4, (Fugitive Slave Clause) of the Constitution.
The Thirteenth Amendment was passed by Congress on January
31, 1865 and ratified on December 6, 1865.
10 Facts
about the Emancipation Proclamation
The following
fact sheet provides 10 interesting facts
about the Emancipation Proclamation.
Civil
War for Kids: Emancipation Proclamation
Fact Sheet
10 Facts for Kids:
Facts and Information
Emancipation Proclamation Fact 1:
President Lincoln presented the
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
to his cabinet in July 1862, when
the Militia Act was passed, but
he decided to wait for a Union military
victory before he issued it as a
Proclamation.
Emancipation Proclamation
Fact 2:
The Preliminary Proclamation was
issued on September 22, 1862, following
the Union victory at the
Battle of Antietam on Wednesday,
September 17, 1862
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
3:
The Emancipation Proclamation was
issued on Thursday January 1, 1863.
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
4:
The transmission of the text of
the Emancipation Proclamation began
over the telegraph wires at 8 p.m.
on January 1,1863
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
5:
Widespread celebrations took place
when the Emancipation Proclamation
was signed by the President
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
6:
Not everyone was happy with the
Emancipation Proclamation - Some
Abolitionists were disappointed
at its limitations and that the
proclamation was only given on account
of military necessity
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
7:
A great celebration was held at
the Music Hall in Boston. Among
those present to celebrate the Emancipation
Proclamation were Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes
and
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
8:
In the Proclamation President Lincoln
called emancipation "an act of justice"
Emancipation Proclamation Fact
9:
Many people, in different countries,
celebrate Emancipation Day. April
16 is designated as the observance
of this holiday in Washington, D.C.
- the date the District of Columbia
Compensated Emancipation Act was
signed into law.
Emancipation Proclamation
Fact 10:
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
took effect in December 1865 and
finally ended slavery throughout
the United States
10 Facts for Kids:
Facts and Information:
Emancipation Proclamation Fact Sheet
Civil
War for Kids: Emancipation Proclamation
Fact Sheet
Black History
for kids: Important People and Events
For visitors interested
in African American History refer to
Black History - People and Events.
A useful resource
for teachers, kids, schools and colleges
undertaking projects for the Black History
Month.
Emancipation
Proclamation Facts - President Abraham Lincoln
Video
The article
on the Emancipation Proclamation Facts provides
an overview of one of the Important issues
of his presidential term in office. The
following Abraham Lincoln video will give
you additional important facts and dates
about the political events experienced by
the 16th American President whose presidency
spanned from March 4, 1861 to April 15,
1865.
Emancipation Proclamation
Facts
● Interesting Facts
about Emancipation Proclamation Facts for kids
● Definition of
the Emancipation Proclamation Facts in US history
● The Emancipation
Proclamation Facts, a Important event in US history
● Summary of the
Emancipation Proclamation
● Fast Emancipation
Proclamation Facts about Important events in his
presidency
● Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Abraham Lincoln
● Abraham Lincoln
Presidency and Emancipation Proclamation Facts for
schools, homework, kids and children
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