Advantages Of The Emancipation Proclamation

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The Emancipation Proclamation not only freed slaves but also served as a Union war strategy. The emancipation of slaves in southern “states” caused unsettlement between slaves and their owners. Plantations were heavily impacted because as slaves left to find their freedom, production of crops decreased due to the lack of labor. This affected food crops, cotton, and other resources. Just a little while after the Proclamation was issued, African American recruitment began. This boosted the number of Union troops and gave them another advantage. In a way, the Union owes their victory of the war to the Emancipation Proclamation. After freeing the slaves in the rebel states, plantations and the social structure were put under stress. Plantations and farms that depended on slave labor had a decrease in production. Food crops, cotton, and many other resources were shorted due to the lack of slave labor. This kept the Confederacy’s resources limited. Slaves had always been on the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, but when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, slaves became free and ran away. This altered the social hierarchy and caused instability among the social classes. Others had to pick up the slack of the lost labor. This was not easy because the Confederates needed all the able bodies they could get to fight the Union. …show more content…

Lincoln claimed that “...upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution upon military necessity…” (Lincoln). Put simply, Lincoln saw the Emancipation Proclamation and the enlistment of African Americans as needed for the military. This enlistment did, in fact, raise the number of troops. “Approximately 180,000 African Americans...served in the Union Army…” (T. Legion). This gave the Union more of an advantage. Ultimately, this did help the Union’s war

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