12. Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in the White House, declaring that all enslaved people in the Confederate states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” This pivotal act redefined the Civil War’s purpose, adding moral force to the Union cause and paving the way for the eventual abolition of slavery nationwide. (archives.gov)
