What was the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by Lincoln?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, aimed specifically to free enslaved people in the Confederate states, which were in rebellion against the Union. This action was part of Lincoln's broader strategy during the Civil War, as it aimed to weaken the Confederate war effort by depriving it of labor and encouraging enslaved individuals to escape or rise up.

The proclamation applied only to those states that were in rebellion and did not affect slavery in border states loyal to the Union or in areas of the South that were already under Union control. Therefore, the assertion that the Emancipation Proclamation was intended solely to free slaves in rebel territories accurately reflects its limited scope and immediate purpose.

Other choices either misinterpret the intent and impact of the Proclamation or incorrectly expand its reach to regions where it had no legal standing. For instance, while the Proclamation did create a moral imperative for the abolition of slavery, it did not formally abolish slavery in border states, which remained a complex issue during the war. Similarly, the Proclamation's purpose was not to entice Southern states to rejoin the Union, but rather to undermine their ability to sustain their rebellion.