Joselyn Rodriguez

September 20, 2016

Pols 1100-08
Prof. Colin Moore
The 13th Amendment: Abolition of Slavery
When the American Civil War began in 1861, President Abraham
Lincoln made sure that that the people understood that the preservation of
the Union was the main goal rather than the freeing the slaves (Americas
Historical Documents). In his personal life, President Lincoln found the
practice of slavery abhorrent, as he believed that all men should be free. But,
as the President of the United States Lincoln had to abide by the
Constitution, which allowed states to continue slavery. He also worried that
many groups would withdraw their support and turn away from the war if the
Republicans made any moves against slavery during the stress of the Civil
War. As the war progressed more and more slaves joined the Northern states
making it easier for the abolition of slavery to become a sound military
strategy, as well as the morally correct path (Murdock, 1965).
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the famous Emancipation
Proclamation declaring that all persons held as slaves within any State, or
designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion
against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free
(Americas Historical Documents). With these famous words President Lincoln
brought about a turning point in the war. He declared that slavery should be
done away with and that everyone that was a slave would now be free.
Ultimately the Emancipation Proclamation did not free a single slave and it

did not end slavery in the nation, but it did begin the battle for human
freedom.
Lincoln recognized that the Emancipation Proclamation would need the
support of a Constitutional amendment in order to bring about action and
ultimately

the

freedom

of

slaves.

He

then

created

the

Thirteenth

Amendment, also known as the abolishment of slavery. The Thirteenth

Amendment was presented when the southern congressional representatives
were absent due to the Civil War. Even in their absence it was still
challenging to get the required two-thirds vote. There was still a large group
of people in the Senate and House of Representatives that were either,
indifferent towards, or directly opposed to, freeing the slaves (Murdock,
1965). This was what ultimately impeded the progress of the amendment
when it reached the House of Representatives, it was defeated by a vote of
93 to 65 (Leidner). This caused President Lincoln to take action by using his
considerable influence, political knowledge and position to persuade the
Republican and Democratic party to vote for the Thirteenth Amendment.
Eventually his efforts paid off and he was able to persuade more Democrats
to support the Thirteenth Amendment (Murdock, 1965).
After much deliberation, on December 6, 1865 the Thirteenth
Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. In this document
it states that, 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

(Americas Historical Documents). This meant that the only way that the
southern states could rejoin the Union would be if they agreed to support and
adopt the Thirteenth Amendment.
The passing of this amendment opened the door for the expansion of
human civil rights. This changed American history in many profound ways by
paving the way for African-Americans to eventually receive equal rights and
their freedom. It allowed great men and women to raise their voices in the
name of equality such as Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa
Parks. Many of these great men and women gave their lives so that others
could have equality and real freedom. It also gave America the opportunity
to unite after the Civil War as one of the most powerful and influential
countries in the world.

Works Cited
America's

Historical

Documents:

The

13th

Amendment

to

the

U.S.

Constitution: Abolition of Slavery. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from

http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=9
Leidner, Gordon. The Thirteenth Amendment. Retrieved September 21, 2016,
from http://www.greatamericanhistory.net/amendment.htm
Murdock, E. C. (1965). Mr. Lincoln's Proclamation: The Story of the
Emancipation

Proclamation.

Civil

War

History,

11(3),

296-296.

Retrieved September 21, 2016, from

http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/emancipationproclamation