What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was a significant turning point in American history as it declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be set free. This executive order was primarily intended to weaken the Confederacy during the Civil War by depriving it of its labor force, which relied heavily on enslaved individuals. Although it did not immediately free all enslaved people in the United States, it set a crucial precedent for the eventual abolition of slavery and laid the groundwork for the Thirteenth Amendment, which formally abolished slavery in 1865. This proclamation is considered a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights and reshaped the nature of the Civil War, shifting its focus towards the fight for freedom and equality.