The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War on January 1, 1863, declared that all enslaved individuals in Confederate-held territory were to be set free. Although it did not immediately free all enslaved people, the proclamation was a significant turning point in the war, aligning the Union's objectives with the fight against slavery. It also allowed for the enlistment of African American soldiers into the Union Army, thereby strengthening the Union's forces. The proclamation helped to reshape the social and political landscape of the United States.