Emancipation Proclamation Exposed

The Emancipation Proclamation, a pivotal yet misunderstood document in US history, was initially drafted by Abraham Lincoln in 1862 with the primary aim of preserving the Union rather than abolishing slavery. Lincoln feared that prioritizing abolition might push Northern slaveholding states to join the Confederacy. However, some advisors argued that making abolition a war aim could garner European support and strengthen the Union Army. Following the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued the Proclamation, effective January 1, 1863, which only freed enslaved people in Confederate states. While it didn't restore the Union alone, it was a significant step towards ending slavery, culminating in the 13th Amendment in 1865.

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