What did the Emancipation Proclamation accomplish?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was a pivotal moment in American history that specifically aimed to free the enslaved individuals in the Confederate states. Its primary goal was to weaken the Confederate war effort by depriving it of its labor force — enslaved people who were vital to the agricultural economy of the South. This proclamation declared that all slaves in the states or parts of states that were in rebellion against the Union would be forever free. While it did not immediately free all enslaved people, it set a clear moral and political purpose for the Union war effort, eventually leading to the legal abolition of slavery with the 13th Amendment.

The other options listed do not pertain to the Emancipation Proclamation. Granting voting rights was a different struggle that would come later, notably with the 15th Amendment. The establishment of public education and national parks are unrelated to the goals of the Emancipation Proclamation and are tied to other legislative efforts and historical developments. Thus, the focus and significance of the Emancipation Proclamation rests on its role in freeing slaves in the Confederacy, making that the correct answer.