One of the major outcomes of the Battle of Antietam was the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln.

Following the battle on September 17, 1862, which resulted in significant casualties but no decisive victory, Lincoln seized the moment to shift the focus of the Civil War. The Proclamation declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory, redefining the war’s purpose to include the abolition of slavery as a central goal. This move aimed to weaken the Confederacy, bolster Union morale, and prevent European nations from recognizing the Confederate government.