President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, announcing, that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious areas are, and henceforward shall be free..
Definition of punitive damages. : damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong.
Proponents believe that the most important function that punitive damages serve is that of deterrence. As in Criminal Law, the predominant purpose of punitive damages is to prevent similar misconduct in the future.