What did the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) accomplish?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory. This landmark executive order was a strategic wartime measure aimed at weakening the Confederate states, which relied heavily on enslaved labor for their economy and military efforts. By freeing enslaved individuals in these areas, the Proclamation sought to undermine the Confederacy and bolster the Union army by allowing freed men to join the military.

The Proclamation did not grant citizenship to all African Americans or establish a relocation program, which sets it apart from other legislative efforts that came later, such as the 14th Amendment. Furthermore, while it was a pivotal moment in the fight against slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation did not end the Civil War; that came later with the surrender of Confederate forces and subsequent legislative actions. Thus, option B accurately reflects the immediate impact of the Emancipation Proclamation within the context of the Civil War and the broader struggle for African American rights.