What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was a pivotal document in U.S. history that declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate states that were in rebellion against the Union. This was a strategic move during the Civil War, aimed at weakening the Confederacy by disrupting their labor force and encouraging enslaved individuals to escape or join Union forces. Although it did not immediately free all enslaved people, as it applied only to areas controlled by the Confederacy, it was a crucial step towards the eventual abolition of slavery across the entire nation, which was formally achieved with the 13th Amendment.

The other options do not relate to the Emancipation Proclamation. Ending the Revolutionary War refers to events that occurred decades prior, while granting citizenship to all pertains to later developments in civil rights. Civil rights for women also emerged significantly later, particularly during the suffrage movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Thus, the choice highlighting the freeing of slaves in Confederate states accurately reflects the primary impact of the Emancipation Proclamation.