What did the Emancipation Proclamation accomplish?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the Civil War, specifically declared that all slaves in the Confederate states were to be set free. This was a significant step in the fight against slavery and aimed to weaken the Confederacy, which relied heavily on enslaved labor for its economy and war efforts. By freeing the slaves, the proclamation not only provided hope and a pathway to freedom for those held in bondage but also allowed African Americans to join the Union Army, thereby contributing to the war effort.

The other options do not align with the historical context of the Emancipation Proclamation. The right to vote was addressed in later amendments to the Constitution, not in the Proclamation itself. While the Emancipation Proclamation contributed to the conditions that would lead to the end of the Civil War, it did not officially end the conflict; that resolution came later with the surrender of Confederate forces. Lastly, the Bill of Rights, which comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution and outlines individual liberties, was created long before the Emancipation Proclamation in 1791.