Final answer:
The Emancipation Proclamation declared the freedom of slaves in Confederate states but did not immediately free all enslaved individuals. It had a significant psychological impact and led to the enlistment of nearly 200,000 black soldiers in the Union army. Despite its limitations, it was a critical step toward abolishing slavery and redefining the United States without this institution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Emancipation Proclamation had a profound but complex effect on enslaved people. While it declared the freedom of slaves within Confederate states in active rebellion against the Union as of January 1, 1863, it did not immediately lead to the widespread manumission of all enslaved individuals. Those enslaved in Confederate territories that were not under Union control did not experience an immediate change, as the Confederate states did not acknowledge the authority of the proclamation. Conversely, the Proclamation also did not free those enslaved in the Border States and other Union-occupied areas, since these were not considered in rebellion.
However, throughout 1863, as Union troops advanced, slaves became increasingly restive and began flocking to Union camps, which suggested that the Emancipation Proclamation had a psychological and symbolic impact, fueling their drive for freedom and altering the course of the Civil War. The military strategy behind the proclamation also allowed for the formation of black military units, which bolstered the Union forces and helped shift the momentum of the war. With nearly 200,000 black soldiers joining the Union ranks, the proclamation became a catalyst for significant societal and political changes.
Despite its limitations, the Emancipation Proclamation was a critical step toward the eventual abolishment of slavery in the United States, as it set the nation on a path toward a new, slavery-free Union. By the end of the Civil War, with the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment, slavery was formally abolished in all states, being recognized as an «offence» that needed to be removed, as Abraham Lincoln mentioned in his Second Inaugural Address.