VOA慢速英语2014 林肯宣布起义州奴隶自由

 

Lincoln Says He Will Free Most Slaves in the South 林肯宣布起义州奴隶自由

From VOA Learning English, this is The Making of a Nation. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. 

And I’m Christopher Cruise.  

The Civil War began in 1861 as a struggle over whether states had the right to leave the Union. President Abraham Lincoln firmly believed that a state did not have that right. And he declared war on the southern states that tried to leave.  

But the fight to preserve the nation was going badly. By summer of 1862, Union troops had not won a decisive victory in Virginia, the heart of the Confederacy. And the war was losing support with politicians and the public in the north. President Lincoln had to do something to guarantee their continued support.  

Finally, in September 1862, the Union successfully stopped the Confederate invasion of Maryland. The armies of Union general George McClellan and Confederate general Robert E. Lee battled near Antietam Creek¹. Almost 100,000 men fought. More than 23,000 were killed, wounded or missing. 

Antietam was a violent, savage² battle -- the bloodiest³ one-day battle in American history. But the North’s victory there made it easier for Abraham Lincoln to make an important announcement.  

Lincoln decided⁴ to recognize that slavery was, in fact, a major issue in the war. On September 22, 1862, he announced a new policy on slavery in the rebel southern states. His announcement became known as the Emancipation⁵ Proclamation.  

American newspapers printed the Emancipation Proclamation. This is what it said:  

I, Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States and commander in chief of the Army and Navy, do hereby declare that on the first day of January, 1863, all persons held as slaves within any state then in rebellion against the United States, shall then become and be forever free.  

The government of the United States, including the military and naval⁶ forces, will recognize and protect the freedom of such persons, and will interfere⁷ in no way with any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.  

The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in states held by the Confederates. For political reasons, the proclamation did not free slaves in the states that supported the Union. Nor did it free slaves in the areas around Norfolk, Virginia, and New Orleans, Louisiana.  

Lincoln personally agreed that all slaves should be freed. But he did not believe that the Constitution gave him that power. He said the Emancipation Proclamation was a military measure made under his wartime powers as commander in chief. As such, it was legal only in enemy territory. He hoped the emancipation of slaves in all the states could be done slowly, during peacetime.   

People in the South were furious about the proclamation. Southern newspapers accused the president of trying to create a slave rebellion in states he could not occupy with troops.  

In the North, most people cheered the new policy. The Emancipation Proclamation changed the nature of the Civil War. No longer was it a struggle over southern rights. Now it was a struggle for human freedom.  

Words in This Story 

preserve - v. to keep something safe from harm or loss 

emancipation - adj. related to freeing someone from someone else’s control or power 

proclamation - n. an official statement or announcement 

1 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

3 bloodiest   

adj.血污的( bloody的最高级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• The Russians were going to suffer their bloodiest defeat of all before Berlin. 俄国人在柏林城下要遭到他们的最惨重的失败。 来自辞典例句
• It was perhaps the bloodiest hour in the history of warfare. 这也许是战争史上血腥味最浓的1个小时。 来自互联网

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 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》

6 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。