The significance of the Emancipation Proclamation issued during the Civil War was profound, as it marked a pivotal shift in the war's purpose and the status of enslaved people. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, it declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territories were to be freed. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it was a crucial step towards abolition and motivated enslaved people to escape to Union lines. Additionally, the proclamation allowed for the enlistment of Black soldiers into the Union Army, changing the dynamics of the war and emphasizing the moral imperative against slavery.