Which amendment abolished slavery?

The 13th Amendment is significant because it officially abolished slavery in the United States, a landmark change in the nation’s legal and social fabric. Ratified in December 1865, this amendment represents a crucial element of the Reconstruction era, aimed at addressing the injustices of slavery and promoting civil rights. The 13th Amendment specifically 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." This legal framework not only freed millions of enslaved individuals but also laid the groundwork for subsequent civil rights advancements.

While the other amendments listed relate to civil rights and the protection of individual liberties, they do not address the issue of slavery directly. The 15th Amendment focuses on voting rights regardless of race, the 19th Amendment extends voting rights to women, and the 10th Amendment deals with the powers not delegated to the federal government, emphasizing the importance of states’ rights. Each plays an important role in the evolution of American rights, but it is the 13th Amendment that is directly responsible for the abolition of slavery.