What did the Emancipation Proclamation accomplish?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, specifically aimed to free enslaved people in Confederate-held territory. Therefore, the correct answer highlights that it freed slaves in most southern states, which was a significant milestone in the fight against slavery.

The proclamation declared that all persons held as slaves in rebellious states would be set free, thus altering the legal status of more than 3 million enslaved individuals in the United States, although it did not immediately free all enslaved people, as it applied only to those in the areas of rebellion. Additionally, it allowed for the enlistment of freed slaves into the Union Army, which bolstered the Union's numbers during the Civil War.

The other options, while related to broader themes of rights and conflict in U.S. history, do not accurately describe the achievements of the Emancipation Proclamation. Women gaining the right to vote and the establishment of civil rights for all are separate historical milestones that occurred later in American history. Likewise, the Civil War did not end with the proclamation; rather, it continued for over two more years before officially concluding in 1865.