Question

document a: emancipation proclamation

1. the civil war ended in 1865. why did lincoln decide to free the slaves before the war even ended?
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?
3. why do you think he calls the act a \military necessity\ in the last section?

document b: frederick douglass

1. according to douglass, what was happening in the north in 1863?
2. what was lincoln worried about?
3. what is douglasss conclusion about lincoln and the emancipation proclamation?
4. douglass wrote about his meeting with lincoln almost 20 years later. how might the passage of time affect douglasss memory of lincoln and his evaluation of the emancipation proclamation?

Explanation:

1. Lincoln freed slaves before war - end to weaken Confederacy, gain moral high - ground, and boost Union support. Also, it could encourage slaves in Confederate states to escape and join the Union cause, undermining the South's labor and military capabilities.
2. Slaves in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri were not immediately freed by the Emancipation Proclamation as it applied only to states in rebellion. These states' slaves would be freed later through other means like state - level legislation or the 13th Amendment.
3. Lincoln called it a "military necessity" because freeing slaves in Confederate areas could disrupt the South's war - making ability by removing a major labor force and potentially adding soldiers to the Union army.
4. Regarding Document B:

• In 1863 in the North, there was a mix of support and opposition to the war and emancipation. Some were eager for victory and abolition, while others were war - weary or opposed to racial equality.
• Lincoln was worried about maintaining the support of the border states and the political balance within the Union, as well as the military outcome of the war.
• Douglass had a complex view of Lincoln and the Proclamation. He initially criticized Lincoln for not acting more forcefully on abolition but later came to respect Lincoln's leadership and the significance of the Proclamation.
• The passage of time might have led to some romanticization or idealization of Lincoln in Douglass's memory. It could also have allowed for a more objective and long - term evaluation of the Emancipation Proclamation's impact.

Answer:

1. To weaken Confederacy, gain moral support, and encourage slave defection.
2. Not immediately freed by Emancipation Proclamation; later freed by other means.
3. To disrupt South's war - making ability.

4.

• In 1863 in North: Mixed support for war and emancipation.
• Lincoln worried about border states, political balance, and war outcome.
• Douglass had a complex view, evolving over time.
• Time might have led to romanticization or more objective evaluation.