My friend and I had a discussion today on this very topic and what he had purposed went against my understanding, so I turned to Reddit for help.
He told me that he had learned from his professor of history that the emancipation did not technically free the slaves. This is due to the document stating that only slaves in the union where free and if your state cut ties with the US, you are out of luck. He went on further to say that this document was more political to move the war to be more about slavery in an attempt to end European interest in helping the south. This is due to slavery being dead and gone in that part of the world.
This goes against my understanding which is the following. The emancipation was more of a military strategy to gain more troops for the union. And Europe never had any interest in aiding the south.
I hope someone can help clear up this confusion!
Thanks!
Your friend is right (technically), the Proclamation only freed slaves in states that were in open rebellion against the Union.
Here's the relevant portion of it:
That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
Slaves in border states that stayed in the Union (Missouri, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Deleware) as well as union territories, and area occupied by Union forces at the time of the proclamation would not be freed until the ratification of the 13th amendment in 1865.
The part about it being a war measure is also true, as it allowed the Union army to free slaves from Southern territories that it captured. It also encouraged slaves to run away for the safety of the Union lines.
Thank you! Do you have any insight in to the aid for the south from Europe aspect of the question?
Excellent thank you!!