What was the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free the slaves in the Confederate states. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the proclamation declared that all slaves in the states that were in rebellion against the Union were to be set free. This action was significant in shaping the course of the Civil War and highlighted the moral imperative of ending slavery. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it transformed the character of the war and allowed for the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army, thereby bolstering the numbers and moral cause of the Union.

The Emancipation Proclamation was a strategic wartime measure aimed at undermining the Confederate war effort. However, it applied only to the states that were not under Union control at the time, which is crucial to understand its limitations and context. In contrast, while granting voting rights, establishing civil rights, and ending the Civil War were all important issues during and after this period, they were not the primary focus or immediate outcome of the Emancipation Proclamation itself.