The Emancipation Proclamation:

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The Emancipation Proclamation was justified by Lincoln as a military necessity, as it would weaken the Confederacy by depriving them of labor and strengthening the Union by adding African American soldiers to the army. It did not immediately free every slave but instead applied only to slaves in areas of rebellion. It did not call for a slave uprising but rather declared freedom for those slaves who could escape to Union lines. While it did not initially improve U.S. relations with Britain and France, it ultimately played a role in Britain's decision to not recognize the Confederacy. The Emancipation Proclamation also reflected Lincoln's changing views on the morality of slavery, as initially he had not intended to abolish slavery but rather contain its expansion.