Emancipation Proclamation

On this day, July 22 in 1862, Abraham Lincoln surprised his cabinet members with a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation (painting above). He issued it to the public two months later after the Battle of Antietam and it became effective on January 1, 1863.

For those who may claim that government cannot take positive action to help people, the Emancipation Proclamation proves the opposite. As a result of Lincoln's proclamation, wherever the Union army moved freedom for slaves followed, often as the slaves freed themselves by escaping from their masters and coming in Union army camps. Over 4,000,000 people became free as the result of the federal government action started by Abraham Lincoln on this day.