Question

Why did Lincoln choose to wait until the North won a major battle to announce the Emancipation Proclamation?

A) He was afraid the announcement would cause the British to support the South.

B) so that Southerns would understand that slavery was morally wrong

C) He did not want to risk losing the support of Native Americans who owned slaves.

D) so that the emancipation of slaves would not be viewed as an act of desperation

Answer 1

There are a number of reasons but D is likely the most correct.

Lincoln wanted a win so he could announce a plan without it looking like a desperate Hail Mary.

In essence, he wanted to negotiate and rule from a position of military power.