What is the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States?

The 13th Amendment is perhaps the most important amendment in American history.

Thomas Jefferson, who left a particularly complex legacy regarding slavery, signed a law banning the importation of enslaved people from Africa in 1807.

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.

The amendment was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the required 27 of the then 36 states on December 6, 1865 and proclaimed on December 18. The House of Representatives passed the 13th Amendment (S.J. Res. 16) by a vote of 119 to 56.

Ratified in 1865, it was the first of three "Reconstruction amendments" that were adopted immediately following the Civil War.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution did not end discrimination against those who had been enslaved and blacks. Together with the 14th and 15th Amendments, also ratified during the Reconstruction era, the 13th Amendment sought to establish equality for black Americans.

More Info: www.history.com

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10 Comments

Ken Putnam

Why have 14th Amendment in the picture for a question about the 13th Amendment?

elizawheeler

And now politicians want to pretend that the stain of slavery was never a part of our history. The are cowards.

stormejohn

jonbroberts, Some native Americans held slaves!

Patty K

If the question is about the 13th amendment, why a picture that says 14th amendment?

james parrillo

Ken Putnam, I suspected that it was in case some astute players tried to zoom in on the wording in the picture. I have read that some players do find the answers that way. Thank you, Christine, James' wife

John W Shreve

jonbroberts, What you say is true, but ours was the only nation that proclaimed, in her founding document, that "all men are created equal." We had higher standards, but the higher the standards the more difficult it is to adhere to them.

Ken Putnam

Elsy O. Stromberg, the Amendment?

Phil Kennelty

Still got to word the questions coherently: What did the 13th Amendment do?"

Shirley Dutt

Elsy O. Stromberg, You are correct. But, their own people sold them into slavery. The British made money transporting them in death ships. And slavery still happens around the globe. Very sad indeed.