What was the primary purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The primary purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free enslaved people in Confederate territories. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the proclamation declared that all enslaved individuals in states or parts of states that were in rebellion against the Union were to be set free. This strategic move aimed to weaken the Confederacy's war effort, as it disrupted their labor system, which heavily relied on enslaved people.

Additionally, the proclamation provided a moral imperative to the Union's cause by framing the Civil War as a struggle not just for the Union, but also for human freedom. Although it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals—since it applied only to areas outside of Union control—it paved the way for subsequent actions that led to greater emancipation and the eventual passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery altogether in the United States.

The other options do not align with the historical intent and impact of the Emancipation Proclamation. The hope for national unity, the establishment of civil rights legislation, and the encouragement of immigration were not primary objectives associated with the proclamation. Instead, its focus was squarely on the liberation of enslaved individuals in specific territories, marking a crucial turning point in the