The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, had significant implications for the United States during the Civil War. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln, it declared the freedom of all enslaved individuals in Confederate-held territories. While it did not immediately free all enslaved people, it shifted the war's focus to include the abolition of slavery as a key objective, transforming it into a moral fight against oppression. The Proclamation also encouraged thousands of African Americans to enlist in the Union Army, contributing to the eventual victory for the North and laying the groundwork for the 13th Amendment.