What did the 13th Amendment do?

Why This Matters

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1865, did something that no law before it had done, it permanently abolished slavery throughout the entire United States. Before this amendment, the Emancipation Proclamation had freed enslaved people only in Confederate states during the Civil War. The 13th Amendment went further by making slavery illegal everywhere in the country, including in states that had stayed in the Union.

This amendment was a turning point in American history. For over 200 years, millions of African Americans had been held in slavery. The 13th Amendment made clear that no person could ever again be legally owned by another person in the United States. It was the first of the three "Reconstruction Amendments" (13th, 14th, and 15th) that together reshaped American society after the Civil War.

For the citizenship test, this question checks whether you understand one of the most important changes to the Constitution. Knowing that the 13th Amendment freed the slaves shows you understand the nation's journey toward the values of liberty and equality that are central to being an American citizen.

Key Facts

• The 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865
• It was the first amendment added to the Constitution in over 60 years
• It applies to all of the United States, not just the Confederate states
• The amendment also banned involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime
• President Lincoln strongly supported this amendment before his assassination

Common Mistakes

• Confusing the 13th Amendment with the Emancipation Proclamation, the Proclamation was a wartime order, while the amendment is a permanent part of the Constitution
• Mixing up the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, remember 13 = freedom, 14 = citizenship, 15 = voting
• Saying the 13th Amendment gave citizenship to former slaves, that was the 14th Amendment

Study Tip

Use a number trick to keep the Reconstruction Amendments straight: 13th freed (think "13 = free"), 14th gave citizenship (think "14 = citizen"), and 15th gave voting rights (think "15 = vote"). This simple pattern helps you answer three different test questions correctly.