The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, was a pivotal moment in American history, aimed at freeing enslaved people in the Confederate states during the Civil War. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it transformed the Civil War into a struggle for liberation, adding moral weight to the Union cause. The Proclamation also allowed for the enlistment of African American soldiers in the Union Army, bolstering its numbers. Ultimately, it set the stage for the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery altogether, signifying a crucial step towards civil rights.