What major event did the Emancipation Proclamation address?

The Emancipation Proclamation primarily addressed the abolition of slavery, marking a significant turning point in American history. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, it declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory were to be set free. This proclamation was a strategic wartime measure aimed at weakening the Confederacy and bolstering the Union's moral stance against slavery. By freeing enslaved individuals, it aimed not only to disrupt the Southern economy, which relied heavily on slave labor, but also to encourage formerly enslaved people to join the Union Army, thereby strengthening the Union's forces.

While other options involve significant historical events, they do not directly relate to the primary purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation. The establishment of the Constitution concerns the foundation of the government and the legal framework of the United States. The expansion of territory relates to events such as westward expansion and the acquisition of new lands. The formation of political parties addresses the development of political structures in the nation. None of these options encapsulates the overarching focus of the Emancipation Proclamation as effectively as the abolition of slavery does.