th
13
Amendment
• The
Amendment –
known as the Anti-slavery
Amendment – officially
ended slavery in the United
States.
th
13
• Slaves had previously been “freed”
under the Emancipation
Proclamation only as a war measure.
They were seized as property by
President Lincoln under his War
Powers, confiscated during a time of
war.
• Once the war ended, the south is no
longer considered a “belligerent
nation” and therefore the President
no longer has the power to take
slaves away from them.
• Thus, the 13th Amendment HAD to be passed
in order to officially end slavery,
constitutionally. Since to pass an amendment
there must be a 2/3 vote in BOTH houses of
congress, once the southern states re-enter
the Union there would be no possible way to
pass such an amendment, this amendment
NEEDED to be passed and be ratified before
the end of the war.
• President Lincoln used some morally
questionable tactics to get this
amendment pass through the House
of Representatives. He exchanged
Presidential appointments – jobs in
Washington – in exchange for yes
votes on the 13th Amendment from
the rival party