HISET Social Studies Practice

What was the main effect of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln?

1. It abolished slavery in the Northern states

2. It declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free

3. It ended the Civil War immediately

4. It established civil rights for African Americans

The correct answer is: It declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared that all slaves in the Confederate states were to be set free. This was a strategic measure aimed at weakening the Confederacy during the Civil War, as it deprived the Southern states of labor that was integral to their economy and war effort. Although it did not immediately free a single slave, as it applied only to states in rebellion and not to those in the Union, it fundamentally changed the nature of the conflict, adding moral force to the Union's cause and paving the way for the eventual abolition of slavery nationwide with the Thirteenth Amendment. The other options do not accurately reflect the Proclamation’s implications: it did not abolish slavery in Northern states since slavery was already a non-issue there in many cases, it did not end the Civil War immediately as the fighting continued for over two more years, and while it contributed to civil rights movements, it did not establish civil rights for African Americans directly.