jan 1, 1863 - Emancipation Proclamation

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The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be set free, shifting the war aims of the Union towards abolishing slavery. Although it did not immediately free all slaves, the proclamation marked a crucial turning point in the Civil War by transforming it into a fight for human liberty and encouraging over 180,000 African Americans to serve in the Union Army and Navy.

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