Which historical event did the Emancipation Proclamation relate to?

The Emancipation Proclamation is directly connected to the U.S. Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, this landmark executive order declared the freedom of all enslaved people in the Confederate states. Its primary aim was to weaken the Confederacy's ability to wage war by disrupting its labor force and to encourage enslaved individuals to escape to Union lines.

This action also redefined the purpose of the Civil War. Initially fought primarily to preserve the Union, the war evolved to include the moral imperative of abolishing slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for the eventual passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which formally abolished slavery in the United States. This context underscores the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation within the framework of the Civil War, making it a pivotal moment in American history related to the struggle for freedom and civil rights.