What was the main purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The main purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free slaves in Confederate territories. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the proclamation declared that all enslaved people in states that were in rebellion against the Union were to be set free. This was a strategic move during the Civil War, aimed at weakening the Confederate war effort, as the Confederacy relied heavily on slave labor for its economy and military endeavors.

The proclamation also had significant political implications, as it shifted the focus of the war from solely preserving the Union to also addressing the issue of slavery, which helped to galvanize support for the Union cause among anti-slavery advocates and encouraged freed individuals to join the Union Army.

While the Emancipation Proclamation had the effect of bolstering the Union Army by allowing African Americans to join and fight for the Union cause, its primary objective was the liberation of enslaved individuals in the Confederate states rather than directly ending the war or reinforcing military conscription.