Class Notes 17.1b (NB p. 19)

1. Emancipation Proclamation – Frederick Douglass’ support – impact on enlistment – officers in African American regiments – duties of black regiments – Negro soldiers’ pay – the 54th Massachusetts – Fort Wagner – dangers for African American soldiers – Class Notes 17.1b (NB p. 19) Skip two lines between each!

2. Lesson 17.1b: The Emancipation Proclamation and African American Soldiers Today we will describe the role of black soldiers in the Civil War.

3. What We Already Know By the summer of 1862, the Confederacy had won most major battles and Lee was preparing to invade Maryland.

4. What We Already Know With every rebel victory, the British government grew closer to recognizing the Confederacy and providing it with aid.

5. What We Already Know President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in Confederate hands and forcing Britain to withhold aid from the South.

6. African American Soldiers Before the Emancipation Proclamation, the government had discouraged black enlistment.

7. African American Soldiers • Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation invited African Americans to join the Union army. • Frederick Douglass praised the decision, believing that military service by blacks would guarantee their rights to citizenship.

8. African American Soldiers After emancipation, African Americans rushed to join the army.

9. African American Soldiers By the end of the war, 180,000 black soldiers had fought for the Union army.

10. African American Soldiers African-American soldiers fought in all-black units led by white officers.

11. African American Soldiers African Americans often were assigned the worst jobs and paid less than white soldiers.

12. African American Soldiers But African American soldiers showed great courage on the battlefield.

13. The 54th Massachusetts The most famous black regiment of the war was the 54th Massachusetts.

14. The 54th Massachusetts The regiment’s bravery at Fort Wagner, South Carolina in July 1863 made it popular in the North, and increased African American enlistment.

15. The 54th Massachusetts Sergeant W.H. Carney was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in recovering the Union colors at Fort Wagner.

16. The 54th Massachusetts African Americans faced greater danger than whites if captured.

17. Southerners rarely took African Americans as prisoners.

18. The 54th Massachusetts Instead, they often executed black soldiers or returned them to slavery.

19. Get your whiteboards and markers ready!

20. 5. How did the 54th Massachusetts Regiment become famous?

21. 5. How did the 54th Massachusetts Regiment become famous? • As the first African American military unit to see combat • For its heroism at Fort Wagner • As the first American military unit to be commanded by black officers • For being the largest black regiment of the war

22. 6. Why did African American soldiers often face greater hardships than white soldiers, and greater danger if captured? Choose all that are true!

23. 6. Why did African American soldiers often face greater hardships than white soldiers, and greater danger if captured? • They were never allowed to rise above the rank of private. • They were often given the worst jobs. • They were given less pay. • When captured, they were frequently shot or returned to slavery. Choose all that are true!