What was the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The Emancipation Proclamation was a significant executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War with the primary purpose of declaring freedom for all slaves in the Confederate states. This proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863, aimed to weaken the Confederacy's war efforts by undermining its labor force. By freeing enslaved people in those states, Lincoln hoped to encourage them to escape to freedom and potentially join the Union Army, thereby bolstering its numbers and morale.

While it did not immediately end slavery throughout the entire nation or grant citizenship to former slaves, it was a pivotal moment in the fight against slavery and set the stage for the eventual abolition of slavery through the 13th Amendment. The Proclamation applied specifically to states in rebellion, making it a targeted measure rather than a nationwide abolition, which is why it is accurately identified as declaring slaves in the Confederacy free.