What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

The Emancipation Proclamation was a pivotal document issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the Civil War. Its primary objective was to free the enslaved individuals in the Confederate states, which were in rebellion against the Union. By declaring that all slaves in these states were to be set free, it fundamentally changed the nature of the Civil War, adding the abolition of slavery as a key aim of the conflict in addition to preserving the Union.

This executive order did not immediately free a single slave but it empowered the Union forces by enabling them to liberate enslaved people as they advanced into Confederate territory. Moreover, it allowed for the enlistment of free African Americans into the Union Army, which bolstered the Union's manpower.

While the Emancipation Proclamation specifically addressed slavery in the Confederate states, it did not create a new government, expand educational rights, or establish new territories, thus distinguishing it from the other options. The historical significance of the Proclamation is profound as it paved the way for the eventual abolition of slavery throughout the entire country with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment.