Question

List three arguments in favor of total emancipation for enslaved African Americans in 1845. Then, order the three arguments from most important to least important.

Answer 1

The three arguments in favor of total emancipation for enslaved African Americans in 1845 are the moral and ethical argument against slavery, military strategy to weaken the South and augment Union forces, and political and diplomatic considerations that would benefit the Union on an international level.

Step-by-step explanation:

Three arguments in favor of total emancipation for enslaved African Americans in 1845 can be articulated as follows:

1. Moral and Ethical Argument: Slavery is fundamentally opposed to the ideals of liberty and equality that are at the heart of the Declaration of Independence and the ethical teachings of Christianity. Enslavement of human beings is a moral injustice that must be rectified.
2. Military Strategy: Freeing the slaves would weaken the South's war effort by cutting off the labor supply that allowed white Southerners to fight in the Civil War. Additionally, emancipation would allow African Americans to join the Union Army, increasing its manpower.
3. Political and Diplomatic Considerations: Emancipating the slaves would align the Union's cause with British anti-slavery sentiment, thus reducing the likelihood of British recognition of the Confederacy and enhancing the moral strength of the Union cause globally.

Ordering these arguments from most to least important can be subjective and context-dependent, but one possible ordering could be:

1. Moral and Ethical Argument
2. Military Strategy
3. Political and Diplomatic Considerations