Understanding the Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most significant documents in American history. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, it declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be set free. However, the Proclamation did not immediately free any enslaved individuals; rather, it was a strategic wartime measure aimed at weakening the Confederacy and encouraging slaves to escape to Union lines. To better understand this important document, consider the context in which it was issued and its immediate and long-term effects.