【美国精神】第76期

Explanation:   

  In 1860, there were approximately four million slaves (or people who are owned and have to work without being paid) in the United States. By 1865, there were no slaves because they had all been given freedom. Their freedom came from President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation¹ Proclamation. 

 

  Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation (or public announcement) emancipated³ (or gave freedom to) all slaves in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation, which was made in 1863, made slavery illegal or not legal. This was a very risky⁴ decision, which means that it was a decision that could have caused a lot of trouble for Abraham Lincoln. The country was being torn in two (or strongly divided) between the northern states where slavery was illegal and the southern states where there were still many slaves. 

 

  Abolitionists (or people who wanted slavery to end) had been asking Abraham Lincoln to make slavery illegal for a long time. But he had to act cautiously⁵ (or slowly and very carefully). He knew that the political decision would be very risky. In fact, he did not make the Emancipation Proclamation until the Civil War (or the war between America’s northern and southern states) had already started.  

 

  The Emancipation Proclamation made slavery illegal in the Union (or the northern states), but the Confederacy (or southern states) was no longer listening to the President of the United States at that time. Slavery didn’t become illegal in those southern states until they became part of the United States again after the northern states won the Civil War.  Some of the southern states made slavery illegal right away, but others did it gradually (or a little bit at a time). Two states, Delaware and Kentucky, did not emancipate² their slaves until 1865. 

 

  When the Emancipation Proclamation was read aloud, many slaves wept (or cried) with happiness. They were happy to have their freedom and to know that their children would be free. However, it would be many years before they would begin to be treated equally (or in the same way) as white Americans. Even today there is still discrimination (or unfair treatment) against some African Americans or black Americans. 

 

问题：

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?  

Answer:   

•  Freed the slaves  

•  Freed slaves in the Confederacy  

•  Freed slaves in the Confederate states  

•  Freed slaves in most Southern states 

1 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 emancipate   

v.解放，解除

参考例句：

• This new machine will emancipate us from the hard work.这部新机器将把我们从繁重劳动中解放出来。
• To emancipate all mankind,we will balk at no sacrifice,even that of our lives.为了全人类的解放,即使牺牲生命也在所不惜。

3 emancipated   

adj.被解放的，不受约束的v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Slaves were not emancipated until 1863 in the United States. 美国奴隶直到1863年才获得自由。
• Women are still struggling to be fully emancipated. 妇女仍在为彻底解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

5 cautiously   

adv.小心地，谨慎地；小心翼翼；翼翼

参考例句：

• She walked cautiously up the drive towards the door. 她小心翼翼地沿着车道向门口走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》