What did the Emancipation Proclamation achieve?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, primarily declared the freedom of enslaved individuals in the Confederate-held territories. This executive order was a strategic war measure during the Civil War, aimed at undermining the Confederacy's ability to sustain its war efforts by liberating enslaved people, who were a significant labor force for the Southern economy.

The Proclamation specifically targeted states that were in rebellion against the Union, meaning it did not apply to the border states that remained loyal to the Union, nor did it immediately abolish slavery throughout the entire United States. While it was an essential step towards the eventual abolition of slavery nationwide—leading to the passage of the 13th Amendment—it did not achieve full emancipation at that moment. Consequently, the correct answer reflects the specific scope and intent of the document as it pertained to the ongoing Civil War and its goal of weakening the Confederate structure.