January 1, 1863 Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation
Proclamation, which freed all the slaves in the Confederate states. The Proclamation
also allowed black men to fight in the Civil War and to fight for their freedom.
By the end their were about 200,000 former slaves were fighting in the Civil
war.
When Abraham wrote the Proclamation he about 3,120,000 slaves. In 1865 the
Enactment of the 13th Amendment ended slavery completely.
For more information click on the following links:
http://www.nps.gov/anti/emancip.htm
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASproclamation.htm
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/