What Was the Emancipation Proclamation?
8th Grade · Social Studies · 45 min
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Learning Objective
I can explain the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.
- 1
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation as a military necessity under the war powers of the presidency.
- 2
Secretary Seward advised Lincoln to wait until the Union had a victory so the Emancipation Proclamation would not look like a cry of desperation.
- 3
Lincoln waited until January 1st, 1863 to give the South a chance to free their slaves before they would permanently forfeit them if they were still in the war.
