January 31, 1865Primary sourceWell documented
The Thirteenth Amendment
On the timeline · around January 31, 1865 ·
What happened
Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which declared that 'neither slavery nor involuntary servitude … shall exist within the United States.' It was ratified by the states in December 1865.
Why it matters
The amendment abolished slavery permanently and nationwide, finishing the work the Emancipation Proclamation had begun.