“His 1863 Emancipation Proclamation . . . freed Confederate slaves but scholars still debate whether it rested on any firm constitutional foundation.”

Use the passage to answer the question.
Based on the excerpt, which statement best illustrates the impact of Lincoln’s proclamation on government?
A.

It increased the influence of the legislative branch.
B.

It caused the voters to elect a Democratic Congress.
C.

It allowed slaves to vote during the American Civil War.
D.

It expanded the power and scope of the executive office

D. It expanded the power and scope of the executive office

Based on the excerpt, the statement that best illustrates the impact of Lincoln's proclamation on government is option D: It expanded the power and scope of the executive office.

To answer this question, we need to analyze the given passage. The passage states that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed Confederate slaves but scholars still debate whether it rested on any firm constitutional foundation.

Based on this information, the statement that best illustrates the impact of Lincoln's proclamation on government is option D. It expanded the power and scope of the executive office. The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by President Lincoln, which declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be freed. This demonstrates the exercise of executive power by Lincoln to make a significant policy change.