The Emancipation Proclamation would make more than three million black slaves free. The Emancipation Proclamation was given by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863. “The Emancipation Proclamation declared “‘that all person held as slaves”’ within the rebel states “‘are, and henceforth shall be free,”’ (“Lincoln Issues Emancipation Proclamation”). The Emancipation Proclamation freed many slaves, but only in the rebel states. The slaves that were in the loyal border states, were still considered property of the owner and were not considered to be free. Even though slavery did not completely end because of the Emancipation Proclamation, it then allowed African Americans to help fight for the Union Army. “By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom” (“Emancipation …show more content…
“President Lincoln was attending a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater, with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln.” John Wilkes Booth made his way to the balcony where President Lincoln was with his wife and an officer named Major Henry R. Rathbone (“Lincoln Papers”). John Wilkes Booth aimed his .44-caliber derringer at the back of Lincoln’s head. Major Henry R. Rathbone tried to capture Booth, but Booth slashed Rathbone’s arm and then jumped off the balcony. After jumping off the balcony, John Wilkes Booth shattered a bone in his leg once he landed on the stage. Once Booth was on the stage he yelled out, “‘Sic stepper tyrannis!”’ which means, (“‘Thus ever to tyrants!”). John Wilkes Booth was able to escape from the theater with ease, other than his broken leg, because everyone was in shock. Booth rode out of Washington on horseback (“Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination”). The bullet from John Wilkes Booth’s derringer entered the left ear of Abraham Lincoln and was lodged behind his right eye, this caused him to be paralyzed and he was barely breathing at this point. Abraham Lincoln was not announced dead until 7:22 a.m. April 15th (“Lincoln