Final answer:
The Battle of Antietam was significant for the Union's strategy, the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, and preventing foreign recognition of the Confederacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The significance of the Battle of Antietam in the American Civil War can be described as follows:
- Part of the Union plan to divide the Confederacy in two: The battle was part of the Union's strategy to split the Confederacy by gaining control of key Confederate positions.
- Lincoln uses the victory to issue the Emancipation Proclamation: The Union's victory at Antietam provided the political momentum for President Lincoln to announce the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared slaves in Confederate-held territories to be free.
- The South's defeat stopped France and Britain from recognizing the Confederacy: The defeat of the Confederacy at Antietam played a significant role in preventing foreign recognition and support for the Confederacy from European powers like France and Britain.
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