Today in History

December 6, 1865

The Thirteenth Amendment

On this day in 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became law.

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. It was the first amendment to the Constitution in over sixty years.

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln in 1863 had earlier abolished slavery, but was viewed by some as a temporary war measure and did not affect the border states. The Thirteeth Amendment gave abolition the force of the entire law of the land.


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