Amendment Thirteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Thirteen

"Section 1

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.

Section 2

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


Amendment 13 (the best amendment ever) officially abolished slavery in the United States. Section 1 states that slavery and involuntary serving can NOT exist in the U.S. unless the involuntary servitude is punishment due to a crime being committed (like community service).
Section 2 of amendment 13 means that Congress must carry out this amendment no matter what.

This video further explains (in a monotone voice) the impact of the 13th amendment on the lives of slaves and what their lives were like after slavery was abolished (getting married, finding families, finding new professions). I like this video because it puts into perspective the things we may take for granted today that some people did not get to experience just based on the color of their skin.

Wow- I really do like this video and it opened up my eyes to something I have never thought about. This video is an interview with two of the people who assisted in making the documentary "13th" about the 13th amendment and how although slavery was abolished, it is still present in the form of prison labor by use of the (criminal punishment lever in the amendment). They talk how the system has built upon this lever by basically stereotyping against African Americans and this resulting in them being incarcerated for some reasons that may not cause a white person to be incarcerated for committing the same thing. Prison is a sense of slavery.. I recommend watching this documentary cause I sure will!