Emancipation: A Level History Definition

<H2> What is emancipation?

In A Level History, emancipation refers to the process of granting freedom and rights to individuals or groups who were previously enslaved, oppressed, or legally disadvantaged.

It is most often linked to the abolition of slavery, such as the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 in the United States, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states free, or the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act in the British Empire. 

However, emancipation can also refer to gaining rights, such as the end of serfdom in Russia in 1861 or women gaining the vote. In 1961, Tsar Alexander II abolished serfdom, freeing over 23 million serfs and in 1917 the Bolsheviks granted women the right to vote as well as policies promoting gender equality.  

Although emancipation provides freedom, it often fails to provide political, economic, or social equality. This usually results in those recently emancipated fighting for equality, as seen during the early and late civil rights movement in the United States.  

Emancipation Revision Resources to Ace Your Exams

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