What was the Emancipation Proclamation?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was an executive order that declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate states that were in rebellion against the Union. This landmark document served as a significant turning point in the Civil War, reshaping the conflict’s purpose to include the moral imperative of ending slavery. While it did not immediately free all enslaved persons across the nation, it was a crucial step toward abolition, as it applied specifically to states in rebellion against the United States.

Lincoln's proclamation also allowed for the enlistment of African American soldiers into the Union Army, which further reinforced the commitment to ending slavery and the importance of African Americans in fighting for their own freedom. This executive order was significant in demonstrating the federal government's stance on slavery during the war, positioning emancipation as a central issue in the fight to preserve the Union and transforming the war into a battle for freedom.