Did Lincoln Free the Slaves? A Document-Based Lesson

Emancipation Proclamation Lesson Plan Central Historical Question: Did Lincoln free the slaves or did the slaves free themselves? Materials: • • • • Copies of ‘Background on Emancipation Proclamation’ (optional) Copies of Document A: Emancipation Proclamation Copies of Document B: Frederick Douglass Copies of Guiding Questions and Graphic Organizer Plan of Instruction 1. Introduce lesson: Today we’re going to ask a question that historians have debated: Did Lincoln free the slaves? 2. Watch United Streaming video segment: Emancipation Proclamation (from American Experience: Ulysses S. Grant: The Warrior: Part 02) 3. (OPTIONAL) Read ‘Background on Emancipation Proclamation’ Ask students: So far, based on the movie and/or this background, do you think that Lincoln freed the slaves or that the slaves freed themselves? 4. In pairs, have students read and complete Guiding Questions for Documents A and B. 5. Review student answers. 6. In pairs, have students complete the graphic organizer. 7. Whole class discussion: • Did Lincoln free the slaves or did the slaves free themselves? • What are the arguments on either side? • Why have some historians worked really hard to prove that the slaves freed themselves? • Why does it matter whether or not Lincoln was truly bothered by slavery, as Douglass claims? Background on the Emancipation Proclamation In his inaugural address, delivered on March 4, 1861, Lincoln proclaimed that it was his duty to maintain the Union. He also declared that he had no intention of ending slavery where it existed, or of repealing the Fugitive Slave Law – a position that horrified African Americans and their white allies. To retain the loyalty of the border states – Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri – President Lincoln insisted that the war was not about slavery or black rights; it was a war to preserve the Union. His words were not simply aimed at the loyal southern states, however – most white northerners were not interested in fighting to free slaves or in giving rights to black people. For this reason, the government turned away African American volunteers who rushed to enlist. Lincoln upheld the laws barring blacks from the army, proving to northern whites that their race privilege would not be threatened. The federal government had a harder time deciding what to do about escaping slaves. As the northern army pushed southward, thousands of fugitives fled across Union lines. Because there was no consistent federal policy regarding fugitives, individual commanders made their own decisions. Some put them to work for the Union forces; others wanted to return them to their owners. Finally, on August 6, 1861, fugitive slaves were declared to be "contraband of war" if their labor had been used to help the Confederacy in any way. And if found to be contraband, they were declared free. Though "contraband" slaves had been declared free, Lincoln continued to insist that this was a war to save the Union, not to free slaves. But by 1862, Lincoln was considering emancipation as a necessary step toward winning the war. The South was using enslaved people to aid the war effort. Black men and women were forced to build fortifications, work as blacksmiths, nurses, boatmen, and laundresses, and to work in factories, hospitals, and armories. In the meantime, the North was refusing to accept the services of black volunteers and freed slaves, the very people who most wanted to defeat the slaveholders. Document A: The Emancipation Proclamation (Modified) On the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State in rebellion against the United States, shall be forever free. . . Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commanderin-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States. . .do order and designate [appoint] the following States as being in rebellion: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. And I hereby call upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defense; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. And I further declare and make known, that such persons will be received into the armed service of the United States. And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God. By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN Document B: Frederick Douglass (Modified) President Lincoln did me the honor to invite me to discuss the best way to [persuade] the slaves in the rebel states to escape. Lincoln was alarmed about the increasing opposition to the war in the North, and the mad cry against it being an abolition war. Lincoln worried that [Northerners who opposed the war would force him to accept an early peace] which would leave all those who had not escaped in slavery. I was impressed by this kind consideration because before he had said that his goal was to save the Union, with or without slavery. What he said on this day showed a deeper moral conviction against slavery than I had ever seen before in anything spoken or written by him. I listened with the deepest interest and profoundest satisfaction, and, at his suggestion, agreed to organize men who would go into the rebel states, and carry the news of emancipation, and urge the slaves to come within our boundaries.... I refer to this conversation because I think that, on Mr. Lincoln's part, it is evidence that the proclamation, so far at least as he was concerned, was not passed merely as a `necessity.' Source: In mid-1863, after the Emancipation Proclamation had been announced, President Lincoln called Frederick Douglass to the White House to speak with him. Douglass wrote about the meeting in 1881 in The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. Guiding Questions Name________________ Document A: Emancipation Proclamation 1. The Civil War ended in 1865. Why did Lincoln decide to free the slaves before the war even ended? Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to weaken the Confederacy by depriving it of its labor force and to fulfill the promise of freedom and equality. 2. In the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln does not mention Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. These states had slaves but were not part of the Confederacy (they were not fighting against the Union). What happens to the slaves in these states? The Emancipation Proclamation only applied to states in rebellion against the Union, so Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri were not included. Slavery was gradually abolished in these states through state legislation, constitutional amendments, and presidential proclamations. 3. Why do you think he calls the act a “military necessity” in the last section? Lincoln referred to the Emancipation Proclamation as a "military necessity" to justify it within his constitutional powers as Commander-in-Chief during a time of war and to garner support for the Union cause. Document B: Frederick Douglass 1. According to Douglass, what was happening in the North in 1863? In 1863, there was increasing opposition to the Civil War in the North, and there was a growing outcry against it being perceived solely as an abolition war. 2. What was Lincoln worried about? Lincoln was worried that the opposition to the war in the North might force him to accept an early peace, which would result in leaving those who had not escaped slavery in the rebel states still enslaved. 3. What is Douglass’s conclusion about Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation? Douglass concludes that Lincoln's conversation with him showed a deeper moral conviction against slavery than Douglass had ever seen before in anything spoken or written by Lincoln. He believes it demonstrates that the Emancipation Proclamation was not merely a military necessity for Lincoln 4. Douglass wrote about his meeting with Lincoln almost 20 years later. How might the passage of time affect Douglass’s memory of Lincoln and his evaluation of the Emancipation Proclamation? The passage of time might affect Douglass's memory of Lincoln and his evaluation of the Emancipation Proclamation by potentially amplifying the significance of the meeting in his mind. Additionally, as time passed and the abolition of slavery became more firmly established in American history, Douglass may have come to view Lincoln's actions and the Emancipation Proclamation in an even more favorable light. However, memory can also be influenced by subsequent events and interpretations of historical significance, so Douglass's perspective might have evolved over time based on changing societal attitudes and interpretations of Lincoln's presidency. Name_________ Did Lincoln free the slaves? Or did the slaves free themselves? Evidence that Lincoln Freed the Slaves Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free. While it didn't immediately free all slaves, it signaled a significant shift in the Union's war aims towards the abolition of slavery 13th Amendment: Lincoln supported and advocated for the passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the United States when it was ratified in 1865. This legislative action effectively ended the institution of slavery in the country. Military Actions: Union military victories and the occupation of Confederate territory by Union forces contributed to the physical liberation of slaves. As Union armies advanced, they emancipated slaves in the areas they conquered, furthering Lincoln's goal of ending slavery. Conclusion: Evidence that the Slaves Freed Themselves Resistance and Rebellion: Throughout the antebellum period and during the Civil War, enslaved individuals actively resisted their enslavement through various means, including escape, sabotage, and rebellion. The actions of slaves such as those involved in the Underground Railroad, Nat Turner's rebellion, and individual acts of defiance demonstrate their agency in seeking freedom. Self-Emancipation: Many slaves seized opportunities for self-emancipation by escaping to Union lines, where they often found protection and support. The actions of individual slaves, such as those who fled plantations or sought refuge with Union forces, contributed significantly to their own liberation. Role of Black Activism: African American abolitionists and activists played a crucial role in advocating for their own freedom and mobilizing public opinion against slavery. Figures like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth were instrumental in the fight for emancipation and the recognition of black rights. Both Lincoln and the enslaved individuals themselves played significant roles in the process of emancipation. Lincoln's policies and actions, including the Emancipation Proclamation and support for the 13th Amendment, were crucial in legally abolishing slavery in the United States. However, the agency, resistance, and resilience of enslaved individuals were fundamental to their own liberation. It was a complex interplay of political, military, and social factors, driven by both top-down initiatives and grassroots efforts, that ultimately led to the end of slavery in the United States.