The legacy of the Battle of Antietam in American memory is primarily that of a symbol of sacrifice.

The result of the battle, seen as a strategic victory, provided Lincoln with the necessary leverage to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This move aimed not only to weaken the Confederacy by freeing enslaved people in rebel states but also to transform the war's purpose into a moral crusade against slavery. The proclamation energized abolitionist sentiment in the North and sought to dissuade foreign nations from backing the Confederacy, representing a crucial turning point in U.S. history.