13th Amendment

Definition

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution officially abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. Ratified in 1865, it was a crucial step in the fight against civil rights abuses and marked a significant transformation in American society.

Related terms

Civil Rights Act of 1866: This act established all persons born in the United States as citizens regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Reconstruction Amendments: Refers collectively to the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution which aimed to establish equal civil and legal rights for Black Americans post-Civil War.

Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory