Right after the battle of Antietam the Union morale & home support was really low. Lincoln thought these could be improved if they were really fighting to free the slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation was a document that went into effect on January 1, 1863 during the American Civil War. It declared all " slaves within any State, or designated part of a State... that were a part of the Confederacy from that time forward were forever free." The states affected were enumerated in the proclamation; specifically exempted wore slaves in parts of the South then that were with the Union armies. It is a very important U.S. document.

After the outbreak of the Civil War freed slaves wanted to join the army to fight for all slaves' freedom. Laws currently in effect said the slaves must be returned to the slaves' owners. This alienated the staunchest supporters of the Union cause. The Emancipation Proclamation let many in the north believe that if the War was won that slavery would be ended.