Answer:
(a) It was issued after the Battle of Antietam, and only attempted to free slaves in states that were still in rebellion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. It declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."
However, it's important to note that the Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free all slaves in the United States. It only applied to the states that were still in rebellion against the Union at the time it was issued, which meant that slaves in the border states were not immediately affected. Additionally, the proclamation did not end slavery in the United States entirely - that would require a constitutional amendment, which came later with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865.
The Emancipation Proclamation was an important step towards ending slavery, but it was a limited measure that only applied to certain states and had to be enforced by Union troops. Nonetheless, it remains a significant moment in American history and a symbol of the struggle for freedom and equality.