Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/thirteenth-amendment-to-the-united-states-constitution

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the date of proclamation?December 18, 1865
2. What is the number of states at ratification?36 states
3. What did the Thirteenth Amendment do?It ended slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, making it illegal everywhere.
4. When was the Thirteenth Amendment ratified?It was ratified on December 6, 1865, after the Civil War.

Chattel Slavery: A system where enslaved people are treated as personal property, bought and sold.
Reconstruction Era: The period after the Civil War (1865-1877) focused on rebuilding the South and integrating freed slaves.
Peonage: A system where a person is forced to work to pay off a debt, often leading to perpetual servitude.
Human Trafficking: The illegal trade of humans for exploitation, often through force, fraud, or coercion.