... free all slaves. He could only free slaves in the areas that had seceded from the union and taken military action against the United States. This included the ten states of the Confederacy that were not under Union control. Emancipation did not apply to slaves in Maryland, Missouri, Delaware, and Kentucky, as they were slave-holding states that never seceded from the union. The slaves of Tennessee also remained in bondage as the Union Army had already taken control of the state by January 1, 1863. Slaves were overjoyed upon hearing upon hearing the proclamation. They gathered in celebrations across the country. But January 1 was not the first day that slaves took a hold of freedom. From the beginning of the war many slaves understood that emancipation would undoubtedly be achieved, and they acted to that extent. When Union troops took over the land, most slaves no longer toiled for ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now