The Emancipation Proclamation Freed the Slaves

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves, freed slaves in the Confederate states, freed slaves in the Confederacy, or freed slaves in most Southern states. President Abraham Lincoln issued this executive order on January 1, 1863, during the Civil War. It declared that enslaved people in Confederate-controlled territory were free. While it did not immediately free all enslaved people, it changed the Civil War’s purpose from preserving the Union to ending slavery, making the war a fight for freedom and equality.

For the citizenship test, you need to know that the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves or freed slaves in Confederate/Southern states.

The Essential Facts

For the citizenship test, remember: The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in Confederate states.

Key facts about the Emancipation Proclamation:

Issued: January 1, 1863
Issued by: President Abraham Lincoln
What it did: Declared enslaved people in Confederate territory to be free
Who it affected: About 3.5 million enslaved people in Confederate states
What it didn’t do: Did not free enslaved people in border states (slave states loyal to the Union)
Impact: Changed the Civil War into a war to end slavery, prevented European intervention, allowed Black soldiers to join Union army
Final freedom: The Thirteenth Amendment (1865) fully abolished slavery everywhere

The Civil War and Slavery

The Emancipation Proclamation must be understood in context:

Civil War Begins (1861):
Eleven Southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. The primary cause was slavery—Southern states feared the federal government would restrict or abolish slavery.

Lincoln’s Initial Position:
When war began, Lincoln stated his primary goal was preserving the Union, not ending slavery. In August 1862, Lincoln wrote: “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it.”

Why Lincoln Was Cautious:

• Four slave states (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri) remained in the Union. Lincoln feared alienating them.
• Many Northern whites supported the Union but opposed abolition
• Lincoln wanted to keep the border states loyal and Northern support strong
• Lincoln believed he lacked constitutional authority to abolish slavery in loyal states

Pressure to Act:

• Abolitionists demanded action against slavery
• Enslaved people were escaping to Union lines in large numbers
• The war was going badly for the Union in 1862
• Ending slavery would prevent European powers from supporting the Confederacy

By mid-1862, Lincoln decided emancipation was both morally right and strategically necessary.

What the Emancipation Proclamation Did

Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in two parts:

Preliminary Proclamation (September 22, 1862):
After the Union victory at Antietam, Lincoln announced he would free enslaved people in Confederate territory on January 1, 1863, unless those states returned to the Union. This gave the Confederacy 100 days to surrender and keep slavery. None did.

Final Proclamation (January 1, 1863):
Lincoln declared: “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.”

Specifically, the Proclamation:

Freed: Enslaved people in Confederate-controlled areas (about 3.5 million people in 10 Confederate states)

Did NOT free: Enslaved people in:

• Border states loyal to the Union (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri)
• Parts of Confederacy under Union control (parts of Virginia, Louisiana)
• About 800,000 enslaved people in these exempt areas remained enslaved

Why This Selective Approach:
Lincoln used his war powers as Commander-in-Chief to free enslaved people in rebel territory. He could not use these powers in loyal states—they were not in rebellion. He needed constitutional authority he lacked to free enslaved people in loyal states.

What It Did Practically:

For Enslaved People:

• Those in Union-controlled areas were immediately free
• Those in Confederate areas were promised freedom when Union armies arrived
• Gave enslaved people hope and legal justification to escape

For the War:

• Changed the war’s purpose from Union preservation to ending slavery
• Made the war a moral crusade for freedom
• Prevented Britain and France from supporting the Confederacy (they had abolished slavery and could not support a slave power)

For the Union:

• Authorized enlisting Black soldiers in Union army
• Eventually about 200,000 Black men served, crucial to Union victory
• Strengthened Northern morale among those who opposed slavery

How the Proclamation Worked in Practice

The Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people gradually:

Where Union Controlled:
When Union armies occupied Confederate territory, enslaved people were freed immediately. As the Union army advanced, more enslaved people gained freedom.

Where Confederates Controlled:
The Proclamation could not be enforced in Confederate-held territory. Enslaved people remained enslaved until Union forces arrived.

Self-Emancipation:
Many enslaved people freed themselves by escaping to Union lines. The Proclamation gave them legal status as free people. Before the Proclamation, their status was uncertain.

By War’s End:
As Union forces advanced through the South in 1864-1865, hundreds of thousands of enslaved people gained freedom. Sherman’s March to the Sea, Grant’s Virginia campaign, and other operations liberated enslaved people as they went.

Juneteenth:
Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and announced emancipation. This “Juneteenth” celebration marks when the last enslaved people learned of their freedom. It became a federal holiday in 2021.

Why the Proclamation Mattered

The Emancipation Proclamation was transformative:

Changed the War’s Meaning:
Before: A war to preserve the Union
After: A war to end slavery and preserve the Union

This gave the war a moral purpose beyond political unity. It became a fight for human freedom and equality.

International Impact:
Britain and France had abolished slavery and considered recognizing the Confederacy to harm their enemy (the Union). The Proclamation made the war about slavery. European powers could not support the Confederacy without supporting slavery. This prevented European intervention that might have helped the Confederacy win.

Black Military Service:
The Proclamation explicitly authorized enlisting Black soldiers. About 200,000 Black men served in the Union army and navy. Their service was crucial to victory. Black soldiers proved their courage and capabilities, challenging racist stereotypes.

Commitment to Freedom:
Once Lincoln issued the Proclamation, ending slavery became a Union war aim. Compromise peace preserving slavery became impossible. The Union had to win or slavery would continue.

Path to Thirteenth Amendment:
The Proclamation was an executive order that could be challenged in court or reversed by future presidents. Lincoln knew permanent abolition required a constitutional amendment. The Proclamation paved the way for the Thirteenth Amendment.

What the Proclamation Didn’t Do

It’s important to understand the Proclamation’s limits:

Didn’t Free All Enslaved People:
About 800,000 enslaved people in border states and Union-controlled Confederate areas remained enslaved until the Thirteenth Amendment (1865).

Didn’t End Slavery Immediately:
Slavery continued in Confederate-controlled areas until Union forces arrived. Some enslaved people remained enslaved until months after the war ended.

Wasn’t a Law:
The Proclamation was an executive order, not legislation. It could be challenged in court. Courts might have ruled Lincoln exceeded his authority.

Didn’t Grant Citizenship:
The Proclamation freed enslaved people but did not make them citizens or give them voting rights. The Fourteenth Amendment (1868) granted citizenship. The Fifteenth Amendment (1870) protected voting rights.

Didn’t Guarantee Equality:
Freedom from slavery did not mean social, economic, or political equality. Achieving equality required continued struggle through Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, and beyond.

Lincoln’s Reasoning

Lincoln explained his reasoning in various statements:

Constitutional Authority:
Lincoln believed he could free enslaved people in Confederate territory as a war measure. The Constitution gives the President war powers. Freeing enslaved people weakened the Confederacy (taking their labor force) and strengthened the Union (adding soldiers).

Moral Conviction:
Lincoln personally opposed slavery. He called it a “monstrous injustice.” But he initially prioritized Union preservation, believing a president could not unilaterally abolish slavery in peacetime.

Political Calculation:
Lincoln needed to maintain border state loyalty and Northern support. Moving too fast might lose crucial backing. Moving too slowly might lose abolitionist support and moral authority. The Proclamation balanced these pressures.

Military Necessity:
By 1862, the war was going badly. Freeing enslaved people would weaken the Confederacy economically and militarily while strengthening the Union. This made military sense.

International Strategy:
European intervention could be decisive. Making the war about slavery would prevent European support for the Confederacy.

Reactions to the Proclamation

Responses varied:

Abolitionists:
Generally praised the Proclamation but criticized its limits. Frederick Douglass, while supportive, noted it didn’t free all enslaved people. Most abolitionists saw it as a crucial step toward total abolition.

Border States:
Angry that Lincoln was making slavery a war issue. Feared losing their enslaved property (though the Proclamation exempted them). Some threatened to leave the Union.

Northern Democrats:
Many opposed the Proclamation. They supported the Union but not abolition. Some Northern whites rioted, especially when conscription began. The New York Draft Riots (1863) partly reflected anger at the war becoming about freeing enslaved people.

Union Soldiers:
Mixed reactions. Some welcomed fighting for freedom. Others, especially those from border states or with racist views, opposed it. Generally, soldiers accepted it as a war measure.

Confederacy:
Furious. Confederate President Jefferson Davis called it “the most execrable measure recorded in the history of guilty man.” The Confederacy refused to recognize freed people’s freedom.

Enslaved People:
Celebrated. The Proclamation gave hope and legal justification for freedom. Many escaped to Union lines. Those who could not escape awaited Union armies’ arrival.

Europe:
The Proclamation prevented British and French intervention. Both nations had abolished slavery and could not support a slave power now that the Union was fighting to end slavery.

From Proclamation to Thirteenth Amendment

The Emancipation Proclamation led to slavery’s complete abolition:

Limitations:
Lincoln knew the Proclamation had weaknesses:

• Courts might overturn it
• Future presidents might reverse it
• It didn’t free all enslaved people
• It was a war measure that might not survive peacetime

Thirteenth Amendment:
Lincoln pushed for a constitutional amendment permanently abolishing slavery everywhere. Congress passed it in January 1865. States ratified it in December 1865, after Lincoln’s death.

The amendment states: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.”

Final Emancipation:
The Thirteenth Amendment completed what the Emancipation Proclamation began. Together, they ended over 240 years of legal slavery in America.

Lincoln’s Legacy

Lincoln is remembered primarily for ending slavery:

The Great Emancipator:
Lincoln is called the “Great Emancipator” for the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment. He deserves credit for these actions.

Complexity:
Lincoln’s views evolved. Early in his career, he opposed slavery’s expansion but accepted its existence where established. By 1863, he was willing to use presidential power to free enslaved people. By 1865, he advocated full citizenship for some Black men.

Assassination:
Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, just days after the war ended. He did not live to see the Thirteenth Amendment ratified or to guide Reconstruction. His death deprived the nation of his leadership during the crucial transition from slavery to freedom.

Continued Reverence:
Americans honor Lincoln for preserving the Union and ending slavery. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., attracts millions of visitors. Lincoln appears on the penny and five-dollar bill.

Why This Matters Today

The Emancipation Proclamation matters because:

Historical Turning Point:
It transformed the Civil War into a war for freedom, not just union. This gave America’s bloodiest war moral meaning.

Path to Equality:
The Proclamation began the legal process of ending slavery. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments continued it. These amendments form the constitutional basis for civil rights.

Juneteenth:
The Proclamation’s enforcement in Texas created Juneteenth, now a federal holiday celebrating emancipation.

Ongoing Struggle:
While the Proclamation freed enslaved people legally, achieving genuine equality took much longer and continues today. Understanding the Proclamation helps understand that legal freedom is just the first step toward true equality.

Presidential Power:
The Proclamation showed presidents can use executive power boldly during crises. This established precedents for presidential action in emergencies.

Connections That Matter

Understanding the Emancipation Proclamation connects to the Civil War. The Proclamation changed the war’s purpose and contributed to Union victory.

The Proclamation relates to the Thirteenth Amendment. The amendment completed what the Proclamation began, permanently abolishing slavery everywhere.

The Proclamation also connects to civil rights history. While it freed enslaved people, achieving full equality required the Civil Rights Movement a century later. The gap between the Proclamation’s promise and reality shows how legal freedom differs from genuine equality.

For more on slavery, see our article on Africans brought to America as slaves in the uscis-questions category. To understand the Civil War, read about Lincoln’s presidency during the war. To learn about constitutional change, explore articles on the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments.

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
It freed enslaved people in Confederate states. This is the answer for the citizenship test.

Did it free all enslaved people?
No. It freed enslaved people in Confederate territory but not in border states or Union-controlled Confederate areas. The Thirteenth Amendment (1865) freed all enslaved people.

Why didn’t Lincoln free all enslaved people?
He used war powers that only applied to rebellious states. He couldn’t use these powers in loyal states. He needed a constitutional amendment to free everyone.

When did the last enslaved people learn they were free?
June 19, 1865 (“Juneteenth”), when Union troops reached Texas and announced emancipation. This is now a federal holiday.

Why did Lincoln wait until 1863?
He wanted to maintain border state loyalty, Northern support, and wait for a Union military victory (Antietam) to issue it from strength rather than desperation.

Could courts have overturned the Proclamation?
Possibly. It was an executive order that might have been ruled unconstitutional. This is why Lincoln pushed for the Thirteenth Amendment to make abolition permanent.

How many people did it free?
It declared about 3.5 million people in Confederate territory free. Actual freedom came gradually as Union forces advanced.

Did it help win the war?
Yes. It prevented European intervention, allowed Black soldiers to join the Union army (200,000 served), and demoralized the Confederacy by taking their labor force.

Was Lincoln always an abolitionist?
No. Lincoln personally opposed slavery but initially prioritized Union preservation. His views evolved toward full abolition during the war.

What should I memorize for the citizenship test?
The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves (in Confederate states). Know that Lincoln issued it in 1863 during the Civil War. This is sufficient for the test.