What did the Emancipation Proclamation achieve?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, primarily achieved the liberation of enslaved people in the Confederate states. This landmark executive order declared that all enslaved individuals in those areas still in rebellion against the Union were to be set free. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals in the United States, it marked a significant turning point in the Civil War by making the abolition of slavery a war aim for the Union and empowering enslaved people to seek freedom.

The Proclamation also allowed for the recruitment of African American soldiers into the Union Army, which bolstered the Union's strength and commitment to the abolitionist cause. This strategic decision underscored the link between military service and freedom, as many formerly enslaved individuals joined the fight against the Confederacy.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation did not end the Civil War, as fighting continued for several more years until the Confederate surrender in 1865. It also did not grant women the right to vote or establish civil rights laws, both of which would come later in U.S. history through different legislative and constitutional processes.