The American Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders that were issued by then President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The first one was issued on September 22, 1862. It declared all slaves free that were in any of the Confederate States of America that were not in Union control by January 1, 1863. The second order was issued on January 1, 1863 (100 days later) and named the states where it applied.
The issuance of these orders was amidst much controversy at that time. Slavery was an emotional issue from every angle. The Proclamation itself is widely associated with the freedom declared all Americans in the Declaration of Independence. It has come to represent much, much more than the original document outlined.