Return to search

Lincoln, Congress, and the Emancipation proclamation

The purpose of this study was to analyze and assess the attitude of Lincoln and Congress toward emancipation of slaves during the Civil War.Hypotheses1. Abraham Lincoln, as the sixteenth President of the United States, was determined to preserve the Union and to preserve slavery where it existed.2. The Thirty-Seventh Congress of the United States was determined to preserve the Union and to preserve slavery where it existed.3. Lincoln showed enthusiasm toward emancipation of slaves.4. Lincoln was sensitive to the needs and desires of freed slaves.5. The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves.Historical FindingsThe five historical hypotheses evaluated in this study reveal significant information and they are explained below:1. Abraham Lincoln, as the sixteenth President of the United States, was determined to save the Union. Therefore, the hypothesis that Abraham Lincoln, as the sixteenth President of the United States, was determined to abolish slavery is historically rejected.2. The Thirty-Seventh Congress of the United States was determined to save the Union. Therefore, the hypothesis that the Thirty-Seventh Congress of the United States was determined to abolish slavery is historically rejected.3. Lincoln showed enthusiasm toward gradual emancipation of slaves with compensation. Therefore, the hypothesis that Lincoln showed enthusiasm toward outright emancipation of slaves is historically rejected. 4. Lincoln was not sensitive to the needs and desires of Negroes, because this concern was overshadowed by his immediate desires to retain the Union. Therefore, the hypothesis that Lincoln was sensitive to the needs and desires of Negroes is historically rejected.5. The Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves because of the following three reasons:(1) the Emancipation Proclamation applied to slaves in areas still under the control of the Confederacy; (2) the limitations of the Emancipation Proclamation made it a paper tiger; (3) the Emancipation Proclamation applied to slaves located where it had no power to execute its provisions.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/181113
Date January 1975
CreatorsHutchison, Samuel Mantilla
ContributorsRosenberg, Morton M.
Source SetsBall State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Formatiii, 78 leaves ; 28 cm.
SourceVirtual Press

Page generated in 0.002 seconds