The Washington Decree of Emancipation was a document created by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. It declared that all persons held as slaves within the District of Columbia were forever free. The decree abolished slavery in the District of Columbia and provided financial compensation for the emancipation of slaves. The decree also allowed for the gradual emancipation of slaves in the District, with those over 40 being immediately freed, those over 30 to be freed in five years, and those under 30 to be freed in 10 years. The Washington Decree of Emancipation was the first step in ending slavery in the United States. It also served as a precedent for the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery throughout the country. There are two types of Washington Decree of Emancipation: the original 1862 document and the 1864 amendment, which abolished slavery in the District of Columbia and provided for a gradual emancipation of slaves.