Final answer:
The Emancipation Proclamation elicited a wide array of responses, from praise by abolitionists and hopeful enslaved people to criticism from Confederate sympathizers and economic concerns by some Northerners, ultimately proving to be a pivotal element in the Union victory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Emancipation Proclamation garnered a mixed reaction following its issuance on January 1, 1863. This document, which proclaimed the freedom of slaves within the Confederate states, was met with waves of support predominantly from abolitionists and black Americans who saw this as a step toward the eventual end of slavery.
However, it was also met with disdain from other Northerners who feared economic competition from newly freed individuals and from Confederates who saw it as a direct assault on their way of life. The Proclamation also bolstered the Union army with nearly 200,000 black soldiers, which played a crucial role in tilting the balance of the Civil War in favor of the North.