ID: 13th Amendment
When: December 1865
Who:
- Abraham Lincoln: Proposed the amendment in 1864.
- Congress: Ratified the amendment in 1865.
What:
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.
Impact? Why Significant?:
- Emancipation: It freed millions of enslaved people in the South, ending the institution of slavery that had been a cornerstone of the Southern economy and society.
- Civil Rights: While not guaranteeing full equality, the 13th Amendment was a crucial step toward achieving civil rights for African Americans.
- Reconstruction Era: It paved the way for the Reconstruction era, a period of political, social, and economic change aimed at integrating formerly enslaved people into American society.
- Legal Foundation: The amendment remains the legal foundation for prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.