Think about Lincoln’s outstanding achievements

1. Economic aspect: Signing the "Homestead Act"

In May 1862, Lincoln signed the "Homestead Act", which stipulated that each American citizen only paid a registration fee of US$10 to register. You can get 160 acres of land in the west and become the legal owner of this land after five consecutive years of farming. This measure fundamentally prevented the expansion of southern slavery to the west. It also met the urgent demands of farmers and greatly stimulated farmers' enthusiasm to join the war.

2. Political aspect: Drafting the "Emancipation Proclamation"

In September 1862, Lincoln personally drafted the "Emancipation Proclamation (Draft)". The Emancipation Proclamation was officially promulgated on January 1, 1863, announcing that slavery in the rebellious states would be abolished from that date, and that black slaves in the territories under the rebellion of the American Union should enjoy freedom. Freed slaves could be drafted into the federal army. Declaring the freedom of black slaves fundamentally destroyed the combat effectiveness of the Southern Army and provided the Northern Army with a strong source of troops.

Extended information:

The impact of the "Emancipation Proclamation":

1. Domestic

In addition to limited immediate treatment of black slaves In addition to its effect, this declaration symbolized the change in the purpose of the war for Northerners: the reorganization of the Union was no longer the only purpose of the war. This represented an important stage toward the abolition of slavery throughout the Union.

In addition, some slaves were immediately freed as a result of the Proclamation. The slaves, who escaped at the Union border and were what Union troops called "contraband of war," were taken to smuggling control camps; when the proclamation went into effect, they were told in the middle of the night that they were free to leave. In addition, the islands off the coast of Georgia were occupied by the federal navy during the war, so most of the local white people fled back to the American continent, leaving black slaves to live here. The admiral read the proclamation in their presence and told them they were free.

2. Army

The issue of black slaves is part of the "engine of war": these black slaves are responsible for producing and storing food, repairing railways, working in farmland and factories, and transporting ships, mines, builds fortifications, and performs care work and general labor. In order to arouse the dissatisfaction of black slaves within the Confederacy, millions of copies of the Emancipation Proclamation were circulated in the Confederate territories occupied by the Union.

This news spread quickly by word of mouth, igniting people's hopes for freedom and causing public chaos, and encouraged many black slaves to get up and escape.

3. International

Overseas, this declaration turned public opinion in other countries to support the federal commitment to end slavery. This shift shattered the Confederate government's hopes of gaining official recognition from other countries, especially Britain.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Lincoln