What was the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The primary purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free the enslaved people in the Confederate states during the American Civil War. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the Proclamation declared that all enslaved persons in states or parts of states that were in rebellion against the United States would be forever free. This strategic move aimed to weaken the Confederacy’s ability to sustain the war by depriving it of labor necessary for its economic system.

While the Proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it laid the groundwork for the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States. It also allowed for the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army, which further bolstered the Union's strength. Thus, the Emancipation Proclamation represented a significant turning point in the Civil War, shifting its focus toward a moral imperative of freedom.

The other options present different subjects altogether, such as tax reform or national parks, which are unrelated to the core mission of the Proclamation. Ending the Civil War is also not the direct purpose of the document, although it contributed to the overall context and consequences of the war. The Emancipation Proclamation primarily signified a commitment to the principle of freedom as