What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states would be set free. This landmark order was a strategic war measure aimed at weakening the Confederacy during the Civil War by depriving it of its labor force. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it signaled a significant shift in the Union's war goals, incorporating the liberation of enslaved people as a fundamental objective alongside preserving the Union.

This action was pivotal in changing the character of the Civil War and laid the groundwork for future legislation and constitutional amendments that would ultimately abolish slavery entirely in the United States. It is widely recognized as a crucial step towards civil rights for African Americans, although it did not directly grant those rights. The focus on freeing slaves specifically in the Confederate states was meant to encourage enslaved people to escape and join Union forces, further undermining the Southern economy and war effort.