Answer:
It publicly declared that the United States was committed to ending slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Emancipation Proclamation was given by Abraham Lincoln on January 1st, 1863, in the midst of the Civil War.
Freeing Slaves
The question is accurate in saying that the Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free any slaves. Specifically, the Emancipation Proclamation said that all slaves in rebelling states (the confederacy) were free. However, of course, the Confederacy did not listen to the proclamation, and thus, no slaves were actually freed. The most criticized part of the Emancipation Proclamation is that it allowed slavery to continue in border states. Remember that border states were pro-slavery states that sided with the Union.
Political Effects
Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves, it still had a large effect on the Civil War. It is important to note that prior to the Emancipation Proclamation, Great Britain imported weaponry and ships into the South in return for cotton. Additionally, Great Britain had already banned slavery within its own border. The Emancipation Proclamation showed the world, specifically Britain, that the Civil War was more than a domestic dispute; it was undoubtedly a war over slavery.
After the Emancipation Proclamation was passed, Great Britain stopped all trade with the pro-slavery South. This cut the Confederacy off from its allies. Since the South had almost no manufacturing of its own, the Confederacy began to run out of supplies very quickly.