What is the 13th amendment word for word?

Asked by: Mrs. Malvina Ritchie Sr.  |  Last update: May 15, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (47 votes)

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865, officially abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, with two sections: Section 1, the core text, forbids slavery within the U.S. or its jurisdiction, while Section 2 grants Congress the power to enforce it through legislation, providing permanent freedom after the Civil War.

What does the 13th Amendment say word for word?

The official text is written as follows: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

What does the 14th amendment say word for word?

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

What is the 13th Amendment in simple terms?

The 13th Amendment simply abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, except as a punishment for a crime after being convicted. Ratified in 1865, it permanently banned forced labor, making it the first of the Reconstruction Amendments that followed the Civil War, though a loophole allows for prison labor as punishment. 

What does the First Amendment say word for word?

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What is the 13th Amendment?

32 related questions found

Is the f word protected speech?

Yes, the "f-word" (profanity/obscenity) is generally protected speech under the First Amendment, as the Supreme Court has ruled that offensive or vulgar words alone aren't enough to restrict speech; however, it loses protection if it crosses into unprotected categories like "fighting words" (direct personal insults likely to provoke violence), true threats, or is part of obscenity, though courts have narrowed these exceptions significantly, as seen in the Brandi Levy case where school-related online swearing was protected. 

What is the 2nd amendment word for word?

Second Amendment. A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

What is the loophole in the 13th Amendment?

A loophole still in the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution allows slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. This exception fuels a system where incarcerated people are forced to work for little or no pay, often under threat of punishment, while the state and private companies benefit.

Who wrote the 13th Amendment?

The 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, was primarily sponsored and co-authored by Senator Lyman Trumbull (Illinois) in the Senate and Representative James M. Ashley (Ohio) in the House, with significant support and impetus from President Abraham Lincoln, though he didn't write the final text. Trumbull merged different proposals, while Ashley introduced the initial House bill, leading to its passage in early 1865. 

What was the biggest impact of the 13th Amendment?

The 1865 ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment was a transformative moment in American history. The first Section's declaration that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist” had the immediate and powerful effect of abolishing chattel slavery in the southern United States.

Which Amendment gives the right to overthrow the government?

“From the floor of the House of Representatives to Truth Social, my GOP colleagues routinely assert that the Second Amendment is about 'the ability to maintain an armed rebellion against the government if that becomes necessary,' that it was 'designed purposefully to empower the people to be able to resist the force of ...

What does the 15th Amendment say word for word?

The official text is written as such: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Can you be a state citizen and not a U.S. citizen?

No, you generally cannot be a citizen of a U.S. state without also being a U.S. citizen, because state citizenship stems from U.S. national citizenship; however, some people born in U.S. territories like American Samoa become U.S. "non-citizen nationals" (not citizens), and there are fringe "sovereign citizen" beliefs about state citizenship, but these lack legal standing. U.S. law ties state citizenship directly to U.S. citizenship, meaning if you're a citizen of a state, you are also a U.S. citizen, though not all U.S. nationals are citizens.
 

What's the 4th Amendment word for word?

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things ...

When did blacks get freedom?

The constitutional amendment abolishing slavery in the United States was introduced in Congress in December 1863, midway through the Civil War, and finally passed on January 31, 1865. It would be almost another year before the 13th Amendment was declared ratified by the states, on December 18, 1865.

What does the 21st Amendment say word for word?

The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

What did Abraham Lincoln say about the 13th Amendment?

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." That evening, after signing the resolution, Lincoln described the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment as an " ...

Why didn't Democrats support the 13th Amendment?

Democrats, particularly Southern Democrats, largely opposed the 13th Amendment in 1865 due to states' rights concerns, economic reliance on slave labor, and opposition to Black equality, with many voting against or abstaining from the final House vote, though some later supported it after Lincoln's push, seeing the need to end the war and preserve the Union. Their primary reasons were protecting the Southern economy built on slavery, upholding states' rights to manage labor, and a general resistance to Black suffrage and equality, leading to massive opposition in the House before its passage. 

Which president signed the 13th Amendment into law?

At last, on January 31, 1865, the House passed the 13th Amendment. Though not needed, as a symbolic gesture of approval, President Lincoln signed the document and then sent it to the states for ratification. Initially, ratification seemed a given. By the end of March, 19 states had voted for the amendment.

What states did not ratify the 13th Amendment?

Delaware, Kentucky, and Mississippi were the three states that initially rejected the 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) and were the last to ratify it, doing so symbolically in the 20th and 21st centuries, long after its official adoption in 1865; New Jersey also initially rejected it but ratified it in early 1866. 

What paradox did the Thirteenth Amendment create?

What paradox did the Thirteenth Amendment create? It allowed the South to return with even greater congressional representation than before the war. How did Radical Republicans perceive Lincoln's reconstruction policy? They rejected the Ten Percent Plan and demanded congressional oversight of Reconstruction.

Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?

No, the Founding Fathers did not put God in the U.S. Constitution; the document is notably silent on God and religion, a deliberate choice reflecting a consensus on separating church and state, though the Declaration of Independence did mention a Creator and the Articles of Confederation used "Great Governor of the World," while the Constitution includes a "Year of our Lord" in its date and bars religious tests for office in Article VI and the First Amendment protects religious freedom.
 

Is gun ownership a right or a privilege?

In the U.S., gun ownership is considered a constitutional right under the Second Amendment, confirmed by the Supreme Court, but it's a regulated right, not absolute, meaning governments can impose reasonable restrictions, leading some to argue it functions partly as a privilege that requires responsibility and adherence to laws. While the core right to bear arms for self-defense is established, the scope of permissible regulations, like background checks or bans for certain individuals, remains a subject of ongoing legal debate, balancing individual liberties with public safety. 

What is the 1st Amendment word for word?

Constitution of the United States

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.