The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory during the Civil War. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it was a pivotal step toward abolishing slavery in the United States. The proclamation transformed the Civil War from a battle for the Union into a struggle for freedom, encouraging enslaved people to escape and join the Union Army. It also set the stage for the eventual passage of the 13th Amendment, which permanently abolished slavery in the country.