Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

emancipation-proclamation

Noun

/ˌiː.mæn.sɪˈpeɪ.ʃən ˌprɒk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/

Definition

An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, freeing the slaves in the Confederate states.

Examples

After the Emancipation Proclamation, many enslaved individuals sought refuge with Union troops.
This proclamation was a turning point in the Civil War as it changed the fight to preserve the nation into a battle for human freedom.

Meaning

The Emancipation Proclamation is a symbolic gesture of liberty that represents the formal action to abolish slavery in the areas that were in rebellion against the Union during the American Civil War.