Emancipation Proclamation
Summary: The Proclamation designated January 1st, 1863 as the official start of lincoln's emancipation of the slaves in Confederate Territories. Essentially the proclamation stated that all slaves in Confederate States were legally free, and could be employed for wages, and could serve in the US Military as freemen. In truth, this was mostly a political move meant to make the North look more justified in the War, to both Americans and potential European Allies. This can best be seen by the fact that it only "freed" slaves in Confederate States (which had no effect until Union troops invaded) and by how the proclamation carved out special exceptions for territories in CSA States that were actively supporting the Union.
(Slavery was not truly banned in the US until the 14th Amendment of 1868, and even then black Americans faced a brutal uphill battle for even legal equality into the late 20th century).
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