While the United States of America is today a place where every person - no matter what class, creed or color is equal - this was not always the case. Earlier this week, the country commemorated two major milestones that paved the way for all the freedom we now enjoy - The 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Antietam and the subsequent Emancipation Proclamation. However, before we get into the details, here is a brief history of the chain of events that led to these history-making episodes.