ID: Emancipation Proclamation
When: January 1, 1863
Who: President Abraham Lincoln
What:
A presidential proclamation issued during the Civil War that declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free. It did not apply to slaves in border states loyal to the Union.
Impact:
- Shifted the purpose of the war: The Emancipation Proclamation transformed the Civil War from a conflict primarily about preserving the Union into a fight for the abolition of slavery.
- Strengthened the moral high ground: The proclamation gave the Union cause a powerful moral justification, attracting support from abolitionists and international observers.
- Weakened the Confederacy: The Proclamation effectively freed slaves in Confederate-held areas, depriving the Confederacy of a significant labor force and military resource.
- Set the stage for Reconstruction: The Emancipation Proclamation laid the groundwork for the 13th amendment]], which officially abolished slavery in the United States, and the subsequent Reconstruction era focused on integrating former slaves into American society.