Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: A Turning Point

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One of the most important things that President Abraham Lincoln did while in office occurred on January 1st, 1863. On this date Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation as the country was coming up on its third year of the civil war. The main purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free slaves in those states that were still in rebellion against the United States of America. This declaration marked the freeing of over 3 million black slaves all over the United States. This Proclamation also redirects the primary focus of the Civil War from preserving the Union to a major fight against slavery. Known as the savior of the Union, President Lincoln actually considered the Emancipation Proclamation to be the most important detail of his legacy. “I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper,” he stated. “If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it." Its obvious that Lincoln put his whole heart into this act to stop slavery.

As the United States was coming up on the …show more content…

Once January 1st of 1863 approached the final Emancipation Proclamation declared that all slaves will be free, however, this proclamation excluded the three Confederate states as well as the border slave states which had slaveholders but stayed loyal to Union and did not rebel. Before the official proclamation was released, President Lincoln had tried to multiple times to convince the border states to accept emancipation but they refused and did not budge. It was obvious that Lincoln was not afraid to speak about his hatred for slavery as he said "I have always hated slavery, I think as much as any Abolitionist." at a speech in

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