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On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln announced the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation stating that if the war and fighting doesn't end then all slaves in the rebellious states will be free. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863. It declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."

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The Proclamation didn't actually end up freeing all slaves, it was limited in many ways. It only applied to the states that seceded from the United States. Also, the freedom of the slaves was dependent on the victory of the Union. Even though it didn't fully get rid of slavery, it made a paved path in the future for the abolishment of slavery and made the eradication of slavery in the Union a goal.

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Freed slaves could decide if they wanted to enlist in the war or not. Even though they were "free", that didn't take away everyone's view on the African Americans

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For all slaves who were free because of the proclamation, it allowed them to be enlisted in the Union army. Almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.

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The Proclamation freed slaves in all states except the boarder states who were yet to decide. Lincoln applied the Proclamation to the Confederate states and emphasized emancipation as a way to shorten the war by taking Southern resources.

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The Proclamation itself freed very few slaves but when the 13th Amendment was ratified, it abolished slavery throughout the United States. By the end of January 1865, both houses of Congress had passed the 13th Amendment, and it was ratified that December.

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Still to this day many people all over the world are still fighting and protesting for the equal rights of people with color. The Emancipation of Proclamation started the right path to justice for slaves and people of different race and color and currently we are fighting to fully end the discrimination and injustice.

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National Archives
History.com
https://www.portal.hsp.org/unit-plan-items/unit-plan-34
Transcript of the Proclamation