What was the primary effect of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was a pivotal moment in American history that specifically aimed to declare freedom for enslaved people in the Confederate states. The Proclamation declared that all enslaved persons in states or parts of states that were in rebellion against the United States would be set free. It was a strategic move intended to weaken the Confederacy's war effort, as it aimed to undermine their economy and promote the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army.

While the Proclamation did not immediately abolish slavery or free all enslaved individuals in the United States—since it applied only to the states in rebellion and exempted border states and other regions under Union control—it marked a significant shift in the war's focus towards a fight for freedom, not just the preservation of the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation became a critical step towards the eventual passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which would permanently abolish slavery throughout the entire nation.