Abraham Lincoln: The Emancipation Proclamation

As the civil war drew to an end, the movement to abolish slavery became more and more realistic. As of January 1, 1863, all slaves living in the Confederate South were to ‘be then, thenceforward, and forever free’” (Schroeder quoting Abraham Lincoln The Emancipation Proclamation.) This new law put many newly freed slaves in a tight spot. Even though they were allowed to leave the plantations and homes in which they had worked, they had nowhere to go and no money to get anywhere. None of them had any jobs any longer, and did not have the means to provide themselves and their families with food which was previously given to them by their masters. A few of the slaves even made arrangements with their masters to stay at the plantation, but work