History of South America

When did slaves get set free?

Slavery in the United States was officially abolished on December 6, 1865, with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. However, the actual process of freeing slaves began earlier. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free. This proclamation did not immediately free all slaves in the United States, as slavery was still legal in some border states and in the District of Columbia. However, it did mark a turning point in the fight against slavery, and it paved the way for the eventual abolition of slavery throughout the country.