Thursday, December 6, 2012

December 6: 13th Amendment

On this date in History.... 1865:

The 13th Amendment is ratified to the U.S. Constitution, officially ending slavery in the United States. It came eight months after the war and is tagged as the greatest change to come out of the Civil War. The Senate passed the amendment in April 1864. 
 
Republicans wanted to ban slavery entirely but Democrats wanted to restore the states’ rights to decide, keeping alive the possibility that slavery could still exist.  A Republican victory in the upcoming election would almost guarantee the passage.  Lincoln’s overwhelming victory pushed the amendment forward and the House passed it in January 1865.  It was sent to the states for ratification and when Georgia ratified it on Dec 6, slavery was officially abolished.
 
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