The significant document signed during President Lincoln’s time in office was the Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863. This executive order declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territories were to be set free. Although it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it marked a pivotal shift in the Civil War's purpose, transforming it into a battle for freedom. The Proclamation also allowed for the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army, which bolstered the Union's ranks. It symbolized Lincoln's commitment to ending slavery and laid the groundwork for the eventual passage of the 13th Amendment.