Legal Definitions - Emancipation Proclamation

Definition: The Emancipation Proclamation was a declaration made by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It stated that all people who were held in slavery in certain states and districts were now free.

Example: Before the Emancipation Proclamation, many African Americans were held as slaves in the southern states of America. The proclamation declared that these people were now free and could no longer be held as slaves.

Explanation: The Emancipation Proclamation was an important step towards ending slavery in America. It declared that people who were held as slaves were now free, which meant that they could no longer be bought or sold like property. This helped to change the way that people thought about slavery and paved the way for the eventual abolition of slavery in America.