Final answer:
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln, declared the freedom of slaves in Confederate states in rebellion, redefined the Civil War as a fight against slavery, and allowed the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army.
Step-by-step explanation:
Impact and Motives of the Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was a significant presidential order issued by Abraham Lincoln that declared the freedom of slaves in Confederate states still in rebellion as of January 1, 1863. The Proclamation's primary purpose was to destabilize the Confederate war effort by emancipating their labor force and converting the war into a fight against slavery, thereby garnering support and maintaining unity in the Northern states.
Several complex motives influenced President Lincoln to issue the Proclamation when he did. One was the pressing need to strike at the Confederacy's economic foundation -- slavery. Another was to prevent foreign intervention by redefining the war objectives to attract international support for the Union cause; if the war were framed as a fight against slavery, European countries would be less likely to support the Confederacy. Finally, there was a moral and political aspect, as the Proclamation moved the United States closer to the ideal of liberty for all.
The reason the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves, including those in the border states and areas under Union control, was strategic. Lincoln limited the Proclamation to Confederate states in rebellion to avoid pushback from slave-holding Union states and to ensure it could not be easily challenged in court. However, the Proclamation fundamentally shifted the goal of the war towards the abolition of slavery and laid the groundwork for the eventual passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which would abolish slavery throughout the entire country.
Although the Proclamation did not immediately free all slaves, it was a turning point that allowed the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army, adding a considerable force to the Union's ranks and placing additional pressure on the Confederacy.