1. 1862: Antietam and Emancipation

2. Antietam & Emancipation
On your notes worksheet, answer the following question: What does “emancipation” mean?

3. Antietam & Emancipation
Emancipation – The act of freeing

4. The War So Far
The war had not been going well for the Union armies around Washington, D.C. The Union had lost every major battle in which it had fought in 1861 and 1862.

5. The War So Far
The Confederacy was hoping that Great Britain and France might help them in the war, giving the Confederacy an advantage.

6. Preserving the Union or
The War So Far
What was the war about?
Preserving the Union or
Freeing the Slaves?
The stated purpose of the war by the United States was to save the Union. However, abolitionists and Republicans were pressuring Lincoln to making freeing the slaves a goal of the war.

7. Lincoln’s Problems- 1862
Britain and France had begun to negotiate with the Confederacy
Lincoln was harshly criticized for not freeing
the slaves (Republicans/Abolitionists)
Lacked the Constitutional authority to free the slaves
Northerners felt slavery was helping the war effort in the south.
He needed a Union victory so the announcement would not seem like an act of desperation

8. Antietam September 17, 1862

9. United States Colored Troops
“If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about slaver,...I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.”
The War Department decided that African American soldiers would be placed in all African American units commanded by white officers.

10. Antietam
Activity Read the Battle of Antietam Summary. Fill in the flow map as a timeline for that battle.

11. Antietam
The result of the Battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg, as the Confederates called it), the Confederate army left Maryland and went back into Virginia, allowing the Union to claim a victory.

12. Emancipation

13. Emancipation
Abraham Lincoln now had a victory to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

14. Emancipation
However, Lincoln had some challenges to overcome before he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation.

15. Emancipation
His first challenge was that the U.S. Constitution did not prohibit slavery. Individual states could outlaw slavery, but not the U.S. Government.

16. Emancipation
Lincoln used his background as a lawyer to come up with a solution more or less based on the following questions that I would like you to answer:

17. Emancipation
Question: What did slave owners legally consider their slaves to be?

18. Emancipation
Answer: Slaves were considered to be property.

19. Emancipation
Question: What happens to property that armies capture from their enemy during a war?
Image courtesy Library of Congress

20. Emancipation
Answer: The property captured (called contraband) belongs to the army that captured it and its government.

21. Emancipation
Activity Look at your excerpt from the Emancipation Proclamation. Let’s read the second and sixth paragraph together.
Image courtesy Library of Congress

22. "That 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 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; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
Jan. 1
1863
Only Slaves in the confederate states
The Union Government will support them.
Image courtesy Library of Congress

23. And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
because of
Already said
Rebellion states
From now on
slaves
Image courtesy Library of Congress

24. Emancipation
The war was no longer just about preserving the union, it was also about freeing the slaves.

25. The Union demonstrated its ability to fight and win against the Confederate army. In addition, most Europeans did not like slavery. Therefore, now that the war was about freeing the slaves, they decided not to get involved with either the Union or the Confederacy.
Since the war was now about freeing the slaves, the Europeans decided to not get involved with either the Union or the Confederacy.

26. Facts about the Emancipation Proclamation
The Battle of Antietam provided the necessary Union victory to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
It did not free any slaves in Union states, it only freed slaves in rebel states
Slaves were encouraged to runaway, destroying the Southern economy
Britain and France were forced to stay out of the war
Escaped slaves were allowed to join the Union army
It changed the focus of the war.

27. United States Colored Troops
Lincoln had some other challenges. He wanted African American men interested in joining the United States military to be able to do so. However, some white, Union soldiers did not want to serve with African American soldiers. There were also concerns about how well African Americans would fight since most of them did not have any military service.

28. United States Colored Troops
In the Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln addressed the enlistment of African Americans in the United States armed forces. Activity In paragraph #8 Lincoln discusses them being accepted into the military. Let’s read it together.
Image courtesy Library of Congress

29. And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
People physically capable
man
The military
Image courtesy Library of Congress

30. United States Colored Troops
The War Department decided that African American soldiers would be placed in all African American units commanded by white officers.

31. United States Colored Troops
Activity Read the excerpt from General Order 143, which created the “United States Colored Troops” (USCT).
Image courtesy National Archives

32. I -- A Bureau is established in the Adjutant General's Office
EXCERPT:
I -- A Bureau is established in the Adjutant General's Office
for the record of all matters relating to the organization of
Colored Troops….
VI -- Colored troops may be accepted by companies, to be
afterward consolidated in battalions and regiments by the
Adjutant General. The regiments will be numbered seriatim, in the order in which they are raised, the numbers to be
determined by the Adjutant General. They will be designated
Regiment of U. S. Colored Troops." (U.S.C.T.)
Chief Administrative Officer of the army’s
Government dept.
groups of soldiers
Brought together
Chief Administrative Officer of the army
decided
named
Image courtesy National Archives

33. African Americans & the War
By Spring 1863 black soldiers were fighting along side whites- the 54th Massachusetts infantry (“Glory”) became known for their bravery in battle.

34. United States Colored Troops
Question: What do you think were some advantages for the United States in having African Americans serve in the military?

35. United States Colored Troops
Answer: African Americans joined the United States military in large numbers. This led to a larger army, one of the deciding factors in the United States defeating the Confederacy.

36. United States Colored Troops
African Americans were now directly involved in their own emancipation.

37. Key items to remember from today’s lesson
The “bloodiest” day in American history was the Battle of Antietam, Maryland.
The Union “victory” at Antietam allowed President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Great Britain and France remained neutral and did not enter the war on the side of the Confederacy.
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate States (Eventually all states would free their slaves)
With African Americans joining the armed forces, the United States had a greater advantage over the Confederate States because of its number of soldiers and sailors.