What do the Emanpication Proclamation?

The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. It declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory, aiming to weaken the Confederacy's war effort and bolster the Union army with freed slaves. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it marked a significant turning point in the war and paved the way for the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States. The proclamation also shifted the focus of the war to include the fight against slavery as a central goal.