July 22, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln informed his cabinet that he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves. But ending slavery wasn’t Lincoln's priority. He hoped it would result in blacks fleeing the South and joining the Union army, thus weakening the South.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The mounting tensions between Thailand and CambodiaThe Explainer Long-running border disputes are at a decade high, as protesters in Thailand demand the prime minister's resignation
-
The unravelling of 'trolls' paradise' Tattle LifeIn the Spotlight Unmasking of founder sends shockwaves through toxic gossip forum
-
Sudoku medium: June 30, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
