Which amendment abolished slavery?

• A. The 15th Amendment
• B. The 13th Amendment
• C. The 1st Amendment
• D. The 5th Amendment

Answer: (B)

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is significant because it formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States. Ratified in 1865, this amendment marked a crucial turning point in American history, following the Civil War. It states, "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." This clear and definitive language helped to ensure that the institution of slavery could no longer be legally upheld in any state or territory.

Other amendments listed have different focuses; for instance, the 15th Amendment addresses voting rights, specifically prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The 1st Amendment protects freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition, while the 5th Amendment deals with legal rights related to due process, double jeopardy, and self-incrimination. Therefore, the primary focus of the 13th Amendment on ending slavery makes it the correct answer to this question.