What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

The Emancipation Proclamation was a significant executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. It declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be set free. The primary goal of this proclamation was to weaken the Confederacy's ability to fight by allowing enslaved people to escape and join the Union Army, thus bolstering its numbers and resources.

The proclamation did not immediately free a single slave in the border states that remained loyal to the Union. However, it was a pivotal moment in U.S. history as it shifted the war’s focus towards the abolition of slavery, which became crucial to the Union's war strategy. The Emancipation Proclamation also paved the way for the eventual passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which formally abolished slavery in the United States.

In summary, the correct answer highlights the role of the Emancipation Proclamation in declaring freedom for enslaved individuals in the Confederate states, a key legislative action that had profound implications for human rights and the nation's future.