Omar Bennett
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, passed on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States and all territories under its jurisdiction. The amendment, which was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments, marked a significant shift in the country's history, addressing an issue that had remained unresolved since its founding. While President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 had declared freedom for slaves in Confederate-controlled areas, it did not end slavery nationwide. The 13th Amendment provided a constitutional solution, ensuring that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, would exist within the United States. This amendment expanded civil rights for Americans and set the stage for further efforts to eradicate the legacy of slavery and fight racial discrimination.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date passed by Congress | January 31, 1865 |
| Date ratified | December 6, 1865 |
| Date proclaimed | December 18, 1865 |
| Number of states ratifying | 27 out of 36 |
| Amendment number | 13 |
| Amendment type | Abolition of slavery and involuntary servitude |
| Amendment category | Reconstruction Amendment |
| Amendment text | "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." |
| Amendment enforcement | Congress has the power to enforce the amendment through appropriate legislation |
| Amendment impact | Abolished slavery, restricted other forms of bound labor and servitude, and expanded civil rights |
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What You'll Learn
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the US
The 13th Amendment, passed on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery in the United States. It was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War. The Amendment states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Before the 13th Amendment, slavery was only sparsely mentioned in the Constitution. The Three-Fifths Compromise, mentioned in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3, was the only reference to how enslaved people were to be regarded by the federal government, and even then, they were only considered "three-fifths" of a fully free citizen.
The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress and ratified by 27 of the then 36 states, with the necessary three-fourths majority. It was a significant step towards civil rights for Americans, but it did not immediately change the lives of Black Americans. Southern states continued to treat African Americans as second-class citizens through the implementation of "Black Codes" and "Jim Crow laws", which bypassed constitutional requirements.
The 13th Amendment also restricted other forms of bound labour and servitude, such as indentured servitude and peonage. The enforcement clause in Section Two of the Amendment has been used to combat racial discrimination in various sectors, including private employment, public transportation, and housing.
The road to the 13th Amendment's ratification was not without its challenges. While President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-controlled areas were free, it did not end slavery nationwide as it only applied to areas in rebellion against the Union. Lincoln recognised that a constitutional amendment was necessary to guarantee the abolishment of slavery. The Amendment faced opposition in Congress, with some arguing that it violated the spirit of the Constitution. However, it ultimately passed with the support of Republicans and abolitionists, who portrayed slavery as uncivilised and a hindrance to national progress.
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It was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments
The Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments (or Civil War Amendments) to the U.S. Constitution. The Reconstruction Amendments were adopted between 1865 and 1870, in the five years immediately following the American Civil War. They were part of a large movement to reconstruct the United States after the Civil War and transform it from a country that President Abraham Lincoln had described as "half slave and half free".
The Thirteenth Amendment changed a portion of Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution, and it reads:
> "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
> “Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The Thirteenth Amendment was proposed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865. It was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, but the House initially did not pass it. After extensive legislative manoeuvring by the Lincoln administration, the House followed suit on January 31, 1865. The Amendment was swiftly ratified by all but three Union states (Delaware, New Jersey, and Kentucky).
The Fourteenth Amendment, the second Reconstruction Amendment, was proposed by Congress on June 13, 1866 and ratified on July 9, 1868. It addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law for all persons. The Fifteenth Amendment, the final Reconstruction Amendment, was proposed in 1869 and ratified on February 3, 1870. It prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, colour, or previous condition of servitude".
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The Amendment restricted other forms of bound labour
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed in 1865, not only abolished slavery and involuntary servitude but also restricted several other forms of bound labour and servitude. This included both indentured servitude and peonage, which were now deemed illegal under the Amendment.
The Amendment states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction". This provision has been interpreted to allow for prison labour and temporary government, jury, and military service, which have been implemented to varying degrees across different states.
The restriction on these other forms of bound labour was significant because it addressed a long-standing issue in the country's history and helped to expand civil rights for Americans. Indentured servitude, for example, was a holdover from the colonial era, while peonage became more prominent in the postwar South. By restricting these forms of labour, the Thirteenth Amendment ensured that they could not be used as loopholes to continue enslaving people, even if they fell short of the legal definition of slavery.
However, it is important to note that the Amendment's enforcement has been a continuous struggle, particularly for African Americans. Despite the Amendment's passage, Southern states adopted "Black Codes" and "Jim Crow laws," which effectively treated African Americans as second-class citizens and bypassed the constitutional requirements of the Thirteenth Amendment. It was not until 1911 that peonage was officially deemed unconstitutional in the Bailey v. Alabama case.
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It was passed by Congress on 31 January 1865
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed by Congress on 31 January 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude across the United States and in every territory under its control. The Amendment was passed by the House of Representatives on that date, having previously been passed by the Senate on 8 April 1864.
The Amendment was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War. It was passed by Congress and submitted to the states for ratification, with President Abraham Lincoln signing the document as a symbolic gesture of approval. The Amendment was ratified by the required number of states 27 out of 36 on 6 December 1865 and proclaimed on 18 December 1865.
The Thirteenth Amendment provided that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This Amendment was a final constitutional solution to the issue of slavery, which had not been fully addressed by President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
The Amendment also restricted several other forms of bound labour and servitude, such as indentured servitude and peonage. It was passed with much controversy over its interpretation, as some argued that it so violated the spirit of the Constitution that it would constitute a "revolution".
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The Amendment was ratified on 6 December 1865
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed by Congress in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude across the nation and in all territories under its jurisdiction. The Amendment was ratified on 6 December 1865, when the required twenty-seven out of the total thirty-three states voted in its favour. The Amendment was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War, and it constitutionally abolished slavery and several other forms of bonded labour and servitude.
The Amendment states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This marked a significant shift in the Constitution, as up until 1865, slavery was sparingly mentioned in the document. The Three-Fifths Compromise, mentioned in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3, was the only reference to the way enslaved persons were regarded by the federal government, and even then, they were considered as “three-fifths” of a fully free citizen.
The road to the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment was not without its challenges. While the Senate passed the Amendment in April 1864, the House initially did not, with the first two votes falling short of the required two-thirds majority. It was only on 31 January 1865, that the House finally passed the Amendment. President Abraham Lincoln, who had issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, approved the Joint Resolution of Congress on 1 February 1865, submitting the proposed Amendment to the state legislatures.
The ratification process began, and by the end of March 1965, 19 states had voted in favour of the Amendment. However, progress slowed, and when President Lincoln was assassinated on 14 April 1865, only 21 states had ratified the Amendment. Vice President Andrew Johnson, who became the 17th President, used his power to force Southern states to ratify the Amendment as part of his Reconstruction policy. On 6 December 1865, the required number of states (twenty-seven out of thirty-six) ratified the Amendment, and it was officially certified and accepted into the Constitution twelve days later, on 18 December 1865.
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Frequently asked questions
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude across the United States and in every territory under its control.
The 13th Amendment was necessary because President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 did not end slavery entirely. Lincoln and other leaders realized that amending the Constitution was the only way to officially end slavery.
The 13th Amendment superseded a portion of Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution and expanded the civil rights of Americans. It was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments and ended the argument about whether slavery was legal in the United States.
