What were Lincoln's intention with the emancipation proclamation?

Answer 1

President Lincoln thought emancipation was justified as a military necessity to preserve the Union. "If the Proclamation of Emancipation was essentially a war measure, it had the desired effect of depriving the Confederacy of much of its valuable laboring force. It simultaneously succeeded in rallying thousands of English and European laborers to the cause of the Union or North, who were anxious to see workers gain their freedom throughout the world.

Answer 2

Lincoln hoped that the Emancipation Proclamation would show Congress that he was beginning to side with them on the issue of slavery. His proclamation set slaves in certain areas free, but the document itself was mainly Lincolnâ??s tool to repurpose the Civil War as one with an objective to end slavery for good.

Answer 3

To keep the British from aiding the Confederates.

By turning the war into an official crusade against slavery, Lincoln made it impossible for free nations abroad to recognise the Confederacy without looking pro-slavery themselves.