Emancipation Proclamation (freed slaves and turned tide on war) i need proof

[Dyl-Dawg]

I need some proof trying to prove my topic, im working on my debate for social studies class, pls help.

[The Rose Dragon]

Well, if Emancipation Proclamation is something related to Abraham Lincoln's politics career as I suspect it is, we're not allowed to discuss it here. Or any kind of politics, really.

[Dyl-Dawg]

Im not trying to learn about politics i just need some proof that when this proclamation was made that the slaves were freed and that it turned the tide to the war, but if it is too closely tide to politics im sry i was trying to find help.

[The Rose Dragon]

It's not necessarily learning about politics. We give anything related to the topic a very wide berth, and Civil War is too close to politics for comfort, even if it was 150 years ago.

[Dyl-Dawg]

Alright, thnx anyway

[Asta Kask]

Have you tried Google? Or Wikipedia?

[raitalin]

The Emancipation Proclamation made it difficult to impossible for the British and French to enter the war on the side of the CSA, since they were against slavery and it established that the Union was now officially fighting to abolish it (along with maintaining the Union).

Its practical effects on the ground were negligible, however, since it only freed slaves in the states that were in rebellion.

As far as proof? That's a bit nebulous. I suggest checking the citations of the Wikipedia article, especially in the Political and International impact sections.

[Dyl-Dawg]

Thnx for the imput i jst have to be able to try to prove this point when i know tht it isnt true

[raitalin]

Thnx for the imput i jst have to be able to try to prove this point when i know tht it isnt true

Erm, but to a greater or lesser degree it *is* true. Sure, all the slaves didn't walk off the plantations when word reached them that the USA considered them free, but they were in the eyes of the legitimate law.

As far as a turning point, you could put that on a lot of events in the war (Vicksburg, Antietam, Gettysburg for example), but it did eliminate the possibility that European powers would meaningfully assist the CSA.

[Adlan]

Thnx for the imput i jst have to be able to try to prove this point when i know tht it isnt true

When investigating it is not proper to go in with a preconcieved notion of what is or is not. Your prior ideas obviously influence you, but deciding before hand, before you've done the reasearch, is silly.

Raitalin pretty much nails it, Britain and France were so close to supporting the CSA, but the Emancipation prevented this, due to the strength of the european anti-slavery lobby.

It was in the European powers interests to have a divided America. If Britain had blockaded the Union ports, and supplied the confederates with manufactured goods, it could of turned the war.


As for proof? There is no proof when it comes to history, only evidence.

[Weezer]

As for proof? There is no proof when it comes to history, only evidence.

And what evidence there is can be interpreted in various ways that can give very divergent, sometime opposite, conclusions. History is much more gray than most people give it credit for being.

[Adlan]

And what evidence there is can be interpreted in various ways that can give very divergent, sometime opposite, conclusions. History is much more gray than most people give it credit for being.

I wholeheartedly agree.

[Telonius]

Wikipedia has an article about the "United States Colored Troops" (as they were called) here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Colored_Troops).

[Dyl-Dawg]

Thnx for the help im glad i got the opinions of others. i had a lot of "evidence" but i didnt wat others thought, so thnx for the input

[Renegade Paladin]

First, learn to spell; it tends to increase your credibility in academic circles. :smalltongue: Second, I'm not clear on what you're trying to prove here (mainly because you're not being very clear), but emancipation was a major factor in the Union victory, though not in the way I think you're trying to say. The timing of the Proclamation was very precise; had it been sooner in the war (say, at the outset) it would have resulted in immediate Union defeat through the secession of Maryland, which would have surrounded Washington, D.C. in Confederate territory. I'm not comfortable saying more publicly on this board, but feel free to PM me if you wish me to elaborate; I'm something of a scholar on the subject if I do say so myself.