The African-American race changed dramatically during the 19th century. Abraham Lincoln's policies and the Emancipation Proclamation freed African Americans in rebellious states, and soon the Thirteenth Amendment completely abolished slavery. However, some properties and characteristics have remained the same. Religion has remained the same in the black community; the most widespread religion in the 19th century was Christianity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayAfrican Americans were still enslaved in the early 19th century. Many enslaved African Americans lived on plantations. Slaves had no constitutional rights; meaning they couldn't even marry or own land. There was also the domestic slave trade, which was the largest and most significant in 1808. This term meant that enslaved African Americans were redistributed throughout the states of the United States. Many changes began to occur, but it mainly occurred during the American Civil War when Abraham Lincoln began to appear in the picture. Abraham Lincoln was often referred to as “the great emancipator,” as he was against slavery. Abraham Lincoln did everything he could to help the slaves and came up with a policy, called the Emancipation Proclamation. This was a major turning point for African Americans. The Emancipation Proclamation stated that "all persons held as slaves are, and hereafter shall be free." However, this policy was only applied to rebellious states, such as Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas. However, this policy helped African Americans enormously; as the proclamation declared that the Union Army and Navy would begin accepting black men. By the end of the war nearly 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom. Before the Civil War ended, they adopted the 13th Amendment. The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865; declared the abolition of all types of slavery in the United States. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime of which the party has been duly convicted, shall exist in the United States, nor in any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay However, the Emancipation Proclamation did not solve everything. The promise (saying) to the slaves "forty acres and a mule" did not come true for the former slaves. After being freed in the United States after the Civil War, many African Americans sought to reunite with their families and own their own land. Yet for nearly all former slaves the guarantees of “40 acres and a mule” were no longer fulfilled. Ten years after emancipation, the smallest 5% of former slaves in the former Confederate states were landowners. Those who collected a small land often had no ability to increase it due to loss of credit. While there were many white Americans who considered themselves abolitionists and against the system of slavery both before and after the Civil War, there were also white Americans who wished to maintain the reputation quo of slavery and the separation of black and white communities. . The same types of animosities persisted both before and after the Civil War.