Emancipation Proclamation and Civil War

In 1862, Congress passed the Militia Act and the Second Confiscation Act, empowering Lincoln to employ African Americans in the military and confiscate rebel property, including slaves. Following the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, warning rebellious states to rejoin the Union or face the emancipation of their slaves. On January 1, 1863, the final Emancipation Proclamation was issued, declaring freedom for slaves in rebellious states as a war measure. The proclamation was met with varied reactions, with some seeing it as a sign of Union strength and others as a sign of desperation. The conflict evolved into a war for emancipation, with many African Americans joining the Union effort, seeking liberty and unity.

What was the purpose of the Militia Act of 1862?

• To create a new military rank

• To provide funding for the Union army

• To allow African Americans to be employed in the military

• To establish a national draft

What did the Second Confiscation Act authorize?

• The recruitment of foreign soldiers

• The seizure of property from loyal states

• The confiscation of property from rebellious states

• The establishment of military tribunals

What was the main warning in the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation?

• Rebellious states must return to the Union or face the emancipation of their slaves

• All slaves in the United States would be freed immediately

• A new constitution would be drafted

• The Union would cease all military actions

According to Frederick Douglass, what was one condition for the Emancipation Proclamation to free any slaves?

• The states in rebellion had to remain in rebellion

• The Union had to win a major battle

• The Union had to negotiate peace

• The Confederate states had to surrender

When was the final Emancipation Proclamation issued?

• July 4, 1862

• September 22, 1862

• January 1, 1863

• March 15, 1863

What was the Emancipation Proclamation primarily considered as?

• A peace treaty

• A political statement

• A fit and necessary war measure

• A diplomatic measure

Why did the Emancipation Proclamation not apply to loyal slaveholding states?

• They had no slaves

• They were not part of the United States

• Congress did not authorize it

• They had already abolished slavery

How did Jefferson Davis view the Emancipation Proclamation?

• As a sign of the Union's strength

• As a minor political maneuver

• As an authentic statement of the Union's inability to subjugate the South

• As a diplomatic victory for the Confederacy

What significant change occurred in the Civil War in January 1863?

• The Union declared victory

• The Confederacy gained new allies

• A peace treaty was signed

• It became a war for emancipation

What role did African Americans play in the Union war effort after the Emancipation Proclamation?

• They were excluded from military service

• They became a powerful ally for the Union

• They remained neutral

• They joined the Confederate army