What did the Emancipation Proclamation accomplish?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, specifically aimed to free slaves in the states that were in rebellion against the Union, commonly referred to as the Confederacy. This proclamation declared that all enslaved people in those Confederate-held territories were to be set free.

It is important to note that the Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in the Northern states or in border states that remained loyal to the Union. The reason for this was strategic; Lincoln wanted to avoid alienating the border states and maintain their support for the Union. While it marked a significant turning point in the Civil War by shifting the focus to the issue of slavery, its immediate effect was limited to the areas in rebellion, making the choice that highlights the freed slaves specifically in the Confederacy the most accurate. Therefore, this choice correctly identifies the goal of the Emancipation Proclamation in context to the Civil War.