What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

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 was a pivotal moment in American history, as it shifted the focus of the Civil War toward the abolition of slavery. By freeing the slaves in the Confederate states, the Proclamation aimed not only to weaken the Confederacy's economic system, which relied heavily on enslaved labor but also to redefine the war as a fight for freedom.

The significance of the Emancipation Proclamation also goes beyond the immediate freeing of enslaved people. It set the stage for the eventual passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery entirely in the United States. The Proclamation also allowed for the enlistment of Black soldiers in the Union Army, contributing to the Union’s manpower and moral cause.

Other options listed relate to distinct events or legislative changes that occurred at different times. For instance, women's suffrage came with the Nineteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1920, long after the Civil War. Segregation was addressed through various civil rights measures much later in the 20th century. The establishment of income tax was authorized through the 16