Who Was Abraham Lincoln?
Emancipation Proclamation
Two years into the Civil War, President Lincoln issued an executive order that would forever change the course of US history, specifically with regards to African-American slaves. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves living in states not under Union control to be free. This order was a result of the Confederacy ignoring a previous decree issued by Lincoln that stated if the Confederate states did not return to the Union by the new year, all of their slaves would be freed.
The Emancipation Proclamation not only freed southern slaves, but it also marked the beginning of the acceptance of black men into the Union military forces. By the time the Civil War came to an end in 1865, more than 200,000 African-Americans had fought for the Union cause. The freedoms that the order promised to those it affected depended upon Union victory in the war, strengthening the moral idea that this was a war for freedom.
Despite the expansive freedoms this order gave to many people, there were also some important limitations. For instance, only slaves in states not under Union control were freed, meaning any slaves living in Union border states or Confederate states that had been taken back by the Union were not granted their freedom. This was a strategic move by President Lincoln, as he did not want to anger the slave states in the Union by freeing their slaves and potentially pushing them to join the Confederacy.
The Emancipation Proclamation not only freed southern slaves, but it also marked the beginning of the acceptance of black men into the Union military forces. By the time the Civil War came to an end in 1865, more than 200,000 African-Americans had fought for the Union cause. The freedoms that the order promised to those it affected depended upon Union victory in the war, strengthening the moral idea that this was a war for freedom.
Despite the expansive freedoms this order gave to many people, there were also some important limitations. For instance, only slaves in states not under Union control were freed, meaning any slaves living in Union border states or Confederate states that had been taken back by the Union were not granted their freedom. This was a strategic move by President Lincoln, as he did not want to anger the slave states in the Union by freeing their slaves and potentially pushing them to join the Confederacy.
Homestead Act of 1862
President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act of 1862 into effect with the goal of encouraging western migration and settlement to expand the boundaries of the United States. It provided settlers 160 acres of public land if they met the requirements. In exchange for the land, settlers had to pay a small down payment and live on the land for five consecutive years before they could own it. However, for those settlers that had the financial means, they could own the land after just six months of residency for a price of $1.25 per acre.
This act accomplished its goal of physically expanding the country's border, with more than 80 million acres of public land being distributed by 1900. Additionally, it increased the pool of potential landowners. Prior to this act, only white men could own property, but now women and former slaves could own land as well.
This act accomplished its goal of physically expanding the country's border, with more than 80 million acres of public land being distributed by 1900. Additionally, it increased the pool of potential landowners. Prior to this act, only white men could own property, but now women and former slaves could own land as well.
Morrill Land-Grant Act
In 1862, President Lincoln signed an act that had a great impact on higher education in the United States. The Morrill Act, also known as the Land-Grant Act, was created to set up institutions in every state that would teach people about agriculture, home economics, and other relevant fields during this time. Each state was given 30,000 acres of public land per senator and representative based on the 1860 census. This land was then sold, and the profits were put into an endowment fund to provide support for the new colleges and universities.
This act expanded access to education for young adults across the country. Overall, this act distributed 17.4 million acres of land, amounting to a total endowment of $7.55 million, all of which went towards furthering higher education. The education that these institutions were providing was unparalleled, as many of them became the best colleges and universities in the US today. |
Works Cited
CC BY-SA "Abraham Lincoln"
Courtesy of Alexandar Gardner on Wikimedia Commons
Courtesy of Alexandar Gardner on Wikimedia Commons
- PBS, Public Broadcasting Service.
- “10 Major Accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln.” Learnodo Newtonic, 12 Sept. 2018.
- “Primary Documents in American History.” Library of Congress Information Bulletin, Library of Congress.
Created By Lauren Turnbull, 2018