What was the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be set free. This pivotal action had a profound impact on the course of the Civil War and on the institution of slavery in the United States. Although it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals—slavery in border states and areas under Union control remained— it was a significant step toward the eventual abolition of slavery throughout the entire nation.

The Proclamation redefined the purpose of the Civil War, turning it into a battle not only for the preservation of the Union but also for freedom. It encouraged formerly enslaved people to join the Union Army, adding to the forces fighting against the Confederacy. Ultimately, the Emancipation Proclamation laid the groundwork for the passage of the 13th Amendment, which formally abolished slavery across the United States in 1865.

The other options, while historically significant events or policies, do not relate directly to the Emancipation Proclamation and its primary effects on slavery and the Civil War.