The Emancipation Proclamation was a historic document signed as law by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. The proclamation declared that all enslaved people in Confederate states were to be free, effectively ending slavery in the United States. This document was a pivotal moment in American history, as it marked the first step towards the abolition of slavery and the recognition of the rights of black Americans. The Emancipation Proclamation resulted from the mounting pressures on the Union government during the Civil War. Lincoln recognized that slavery was the leading cause of the conflict and that it was necessary to end the practice to secure the Union's victory. He also believed that the proclamation would help diminish the support for the Confederacy and boost the morale of Union soldiers. The Emancipation Proclamation was significant, but slavery was abolished in the US with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865. The 13th Amend...