Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Facts for Kids

The Thirteenth Amendment is a very important change to the United States Constitution. The Constitution is the main set of laws that guides the United States. This amendment made slavery illegal everywhere in the United States. It was passed on December 6, 1865. This happened right after the Civil War ended. It was one of the Reconstruction Amendments, which were changes made after the war. This amendment also removed an older part of the Constitution that dealt with runaway slaves.

What the Thirteenth Amendment Says
- Ending Slavery in America
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What the Thirteenth Amendment Says

The Thirteenth Amendment has two main parts:

Section 1: This part says that slavery and forced labor are not allowed in the United States. The only time someone can be forced to work is if they are being punished for a crime they were found guilty of. This rule applies to every part of the United States and any place it controls.
Section 2: This part gives the U.S. Congress the power to make laws to ensure that the first section is followed.

Ending Slavery in America

Before the Civil War

Before the Civil War, the Constitution allowed slavery. Many people and groups wanted to end slavery in the United States. These groups were called abolitionists. They eventually formed the Republican Party in 1856. This party gained a lot of power in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln was elected president.

Lincoln and Freedom

In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This important order freed slaves, but only in certain parts of the United States. It did not make slavery illegal everywhere. Slaves in states that had not left the Union were not freed by this order.

Making it Law Forever

As the Civil War was ending, the Republicans controlled Congress. They wanted to make sure slavery was illegal in every part of the United States. So, they introduced an amendment to the Constitution. For an amendment to become law, it must first be approved by both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Then, three-quarters (or 75%) of the states must also approve it. The Thirteenth Amendment was approved by enough states. It officially became law in late 1865, finally ending slavery across the nation.

Images for kids

A map from 1847 showing states where slavery was allowed (in black).
President Abraham Lincoln in 1861.
Slaves working on a plantation around 1862–1863.
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves only in the red states on this map (1863).
A slave trader's business in Atlanta, Georgia in 1864.
Members of the House of Representatives celebrating when the 13th Amendment passed in 1865.
The original 13th Amendment document, signed by President Lincoln in 1865.
Two children who were freed from slavery by the 13th Amendment, around 1870.