Did enslaved people emancipate themselves during the Civil War or were they freed by the Union Army and the policies of the federal government? Or was it some combination of the two?

Learning Goal: I’m working on a history writing question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

From the first shots of the Civil War, the institution of slavery began to crumble. Many enslaved people fled to Union lines and sought refuge. White U.S. officers and soldiers responded in complicated ways, but escapes continued. And within a few months of Fort Sumpter, Congress passed the first of a series of laws allowing refugees, deemed “contraband,” refuge. It was not until September 22, 1862, with Lincoln’s announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation that abolitionism became a war aim.

From January 1, 1863, the U.S. military made war on slavery and enslaved people continued to escape to Union lines. In many ways, that fight continued through the mid-1870s – in Congress, in the courts, and state legislatures, but also at churches, on farms, at workplaces, and in schools.

For this essay, please ensure you have read:

• Chapters from the American Yawp for this unit
  • The Civil War (Chapter 14)
  • Reconstruction (Chapter 15)
• Primary Sources from the Unit:
  • General Benjamin F. Butler reacts to self-emancipation, 1861
  • William Henry Singleton, a formerly enslaved man, recalls fighting for the Union, 1922
  • Freedmen discuss post-emancipation life with General Sherman, 1865
  • Jourdon Anderson writes his former enslaver, 1865
  • Charlotte Forten teaches freed children in South Carolina, 1864

Task

Write an essay engaging the following prompt:

Did enslaved people emancipate themselves during the Civil War or were they freed by the Union Army and the policies of the federal government? Or was it some combination of the two? And how did that process of emancipation continue into the Reconstruction Era? Did it remain primarily a story of self-emancipation or did government action continue to be central?

Criteria

Your essay should be a minimum of:

1. 5 paragraphs and 1000 words (approximately 4 pages)
2. Formatted with a 12-point, clean font such as Times New Roman or Arial (or similar font)
3. Double spaced text
4. 1” margins all around
5. Formatted according to the “Five Paragraph Essay” format
   1. Introductory paragraph, with a defined thesis statement
   2. 3 body or proof paragraphs
   3. A conclusion
6. Evidence should support your paper with proper citations. Include at least 3 of the assigned primary sources in your Works Cited Page. Each reference should include a proper in-text citation. These citations do not count toward the 1000 word minimum of the paper.
7. You should base your discussion with the information in the course content; outside research is not allowed. As always, be sure to keep track of where you find your information so that you can provide citations in your final essay. Citations must be formatted according to the MLA guidelines, including both in-text and a final source page. Guidelines for MLA can be found using the Purdue Owl or you can reference the Citation Help PDF from the Start Here Module of the course.

Five Paragraph Essay Format:

Paragraph 1 – Introduction – This should include a clear statement of what you will argue in the essay. Thesis statements are never questions.

Paragraphs 2, 3 & 4 – Body of the Essay – Three paragraphs is the minimum you should include. This should be the bulk of your work on this essay.

Paragraph 5 – Conclusion – Conclude your paper by discussion the key conclusion you reached and why. Remember not to use first person references in formal academic essays.

Be sure to revise and edit carefully.

Please remember you should submit documents as JPG, PDF, RTF, PNG, DOC and DOCX only. Other formats will not be accepted. Also, please ensure documents are submitted vertically and not horizontally. Incorrect submission formats could impact your grade.

This activity may use a different grading rubric than what was used in past activities. Be sure to check the grading rubric before starting.