What political dangers did President Lincoln face when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation..I don't think Damon was able to help me or I'm looking at the question the wrong way ?Need your input on this Ms.Sue....Thank You
He risked the alienation of his party and not being elected to a second term. He also risked the Proclamation being declared unconstitutional. Of course, eventually he was killed, largely because of this Proclamation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln
Damon posted, "The main danger was that the states along the border that still had slaves but had not joined the confederacy might secede. (for example Kentucky)"
If the border states seceded, then Lincoln had lost more of the Union, thus further alienating his constituency.
Yes Ms. Sue, this is what I've been looking for, I'm on the right track...just wanted to make sure so I'm not writing about the wrong thing here.Thank You !
You're very welcome, Joanne.
President Lincoln faced several political dangers when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Here are some of the key ones:
1. Opposition from within his own party: While the Republican Party generally supported emancipation, there were still factions within the party that opposed it. Some Republicans were concerned about potential economic repercussions, especially in states that relied heavily on the labor of enslaved people.
To get more information about this, you can start by studying the political landscape in the United States during the Civil War, including the different factions within the Republican Party.
2. Resistance in Northern states: The Emancipation Proclamation affected only the Confederate states and did not free all enslaved people in the United States. However, even within the Northern states, there was widespread resistance to the proclamation. Many people in the North were against the idea of emancipation or were indifferent to the plight of enslaved people.
You can explore primary sources such as newspaper articles, speeches, and public opinion surveys from that time period to understand the reactions and attitudes of people living in the Northern states.
3. Military and strategic considerations: Issuing the Emancipation Proclamation was a military and political strategy for Lincoln. By declaring enslaved people in Confederate-held territories to be free, Lincoln aimed to destabilize the Confederacy's labor force and weaken their war effort. However, this move was not universally embraced within the military. Some military leaders, like General George McClellan, were hesitant to fully support emancipation or take action against slavery.
To learn more about the military and strategic considerations surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation, you can read primary sources such as military correspondence, official reports, and memoirs from leaders in the Union Army.
By analyzing and researching these factors, you can gain a deeper understanding of the political dangers that President Lincoln faced when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Remember, using a variety of sources, both primary and secondary, will help provide a comprehensive perspective on this topic.