Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation (/ɪˌmænsɪˈpeɪʃən proʊkləˈmeɪʃən/) was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It changed the federal legal status of more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the designated areas of the South from slave to free.

Etymology

The term "Emancipation Proclamation" is derived from the Latin words 'emancipatio' meaning 'to set free' and 'proclamatio' meaning 'to proclaim'.

Background

During the American Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation was a significant step towards abolishing slavery and establishing the freedom of slaves in the United States. It declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate-held territory were to be set free. This did not end slavery in the nation but it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war.

Impact

The Emancipation Proclamation broadened the goals of the Civil War. While slavery was not officially abolished until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, the Proclamation made abolition a central goal of the war and galvanized the movement for universal freedom.

Related Terms

• Abraham Lincoln
• American Civil War
• Thirteenth Amendment
• Slavery in the United States

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Emancipation Proclamation
• Wikipedia's article - Emancipation Proclamation

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