US History Regents Practice Exam

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. This executive order declared the freedom of all enslaved people in the Confederate states that were still in rebellion against the Union. Lincoln’s decision was strategically aimed at weakening the Confederate war effort, as slavery was a crucial part of the Southern economy and military structure. By making emancipation a war goal, Lincoln also sought to encourage enslaved individuals to escape and join Union forces, thereby bolstering the Union army.

This proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved people in the United States but set a significant moral compass and altered the character of the war, adding the fight against slavery to the Union's objectives. Ultimately, the Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for the eventual passage of the 13th Amendment, which officially abolished slavery in the United States.