Introduction!
5
The First Calls for Emancipation!
8
A Revolutionary War Veteran’s Pension Affidavit!
8
''To Petition for a Redress of Grievances'': A Petition Against the Slave
Trade!
13
Petitioning Continues: An Antislavery Society’s Petition Drive!
22
A Petition to Rescind A Gag Rule!
24
A Response to the Gag Rule in the House of Representatives!
26
The Unavoidable Issue!
30
The Compromise of 1850!
31
Court Documents for ''Fugitive'' Jane Johnson!
34
Warrant for the Arrest of Moses Honner!
41
The Kansas-Nebraska Act!
45
The Outbreak of the Civil War!
50
A Proposed Thirteenth Amendment to Prevent Federal Abolition of Slavery!
50
New President Lincoln’s Inaugural Address!
53
News from Fort Sumter Announcing the First Shots!
75
Citizens’ Protest Against the Rebellion!
78
Changes Weaken Slavery!
83
A Man’s Letter Home about Running Away!
83
Camps for “Contraband”!
86
Lincoln’s Proposal for Gradual, Compensated Emancipation!
88
The District of Columbia Emancipation Act!
95
The Petition of a DC Slaveowner!
106
2
Lincoln’s Proclamation Revoking a General’s Military Emancipation!110
A Certificate of Freedom in the Wake of Union Troops!
119
The Emancipation Proclamation!
123
The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation!
124
Victory at Antietam!
136
President Abraham Lincoln's Message to Congress on the State of the Un-
ion!
138
The Emancipation Proclamation!
146
The Meaning of Emancipation!
159
Limitations of the Proclamation!
159
A Letter Expressing “It is my desire to be free”!
162
A General’s Letter Asking for Guidance for Runaways!
164
A Freedmen's Village!
168
Reunification and Marriage for Freedmen!
169
Documents for Employment!
175
School!
180
The Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops!
181
The Corps d'Afrique!
185
A Letter Home to a Still-Enslaved Family!
186
A Letter From a Still-Enslaved Wife to Her Husband in the Army!
191
Letter to a Former Owner!
196
The End of War and Slavery!
201
The 13th Amendment!
201
A Letter from the War Department: “You have no right to his services
without...pay.”!
204
3
Conclusion!
209
Sources!
211
Additional Resources!
213
Connect with us!!
215
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