The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declared the freedom of all enslaved persons in Confederate-held territory. Although it did not immediately free a single slave, it fundamentally altered the nature of the Civil War by adding a moral imperative to the Union's cause. The proclamation also allowed for the recruitment of Black soldiers into the Union Army, further strengthening Union forces. While it did not end slavery throughout the entire country, it set the stage for future actions, including the eventual passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery altogether, marking a new chapter in American history.